AIRY 
rALES 

FROM 

:OLK 
ORE 


RSCHEL 
ILLIAM" 


LIBRARY 

OF  THK 

University  of  California, 

Class 


/" 


\ 


t 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM 
FOLK   LORE 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/fairytalesfromfoOOwillrich 


Three  Beautiful  Girls  Came  Tripping  Down 


FAIRY  TALES 

FROM 

FOLK    LORE 


BY 

HERSCHEL  WILLIAMS 


Illustrated  bt 
M.  H.  SQUIRE 


^^o 


NEW  YORK 

MOFFAT,  YARD  &  COMPANY 

1908 


GitiiMl 


Copyright  1908,  by 
Moffat,  Yard  &  Company 

All  Rights  Reserved 
Pablished,  August,  1908 


u 


DEDICATED  TO  HIS  GOD-CHILD, 

HERSCHEL  GARNET, 

BY  THE  AUTHOR 


175640 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.     Yellow  Lily,  An  Irish  Tale  ...        1 
II.     The  Stoorworm,  A  Scotch  Tale  .      .     49 

III.  The  Mysterious  Prince,  A  Scandi- 

navian Tale 77 

IV.  Two    MoQui    Heroes,    An    American 

Tale 09 

V.     The  Goddess  op  Light,  A  Canadian 

Tale 125 

VI.     Sweet  Pea  and  Sweet  William,  An 

English  Tale       ......    136 

VII.     St.  John's  Eve,  A  Spanish  Tale  .      .159 

VIII.     The    Princess   of   Tronkolaine,   A 

French  Tale 179 

IX.     The  Tide  Jewels,  A  Japanese  Tale   .   207 

X.     Elves  of  the  Rhineland,  A  German 

Tale 220 

XL     Discontented  Teg,  A  Welsh  Tale   .   246 

XII.     The  Prince  of  Naples,  An  Italian 

Tale 263 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Three    beautiful    girls    c.ime    tripping    down 

Frontispiece 

An  old  woman 11 

All  day  long  he  trudged  up  hill  and  down  dell     14 

The  pigeon  began  to  peck  at  his  mate      .      .      45 

The    king's    daughter   must   be    given    to   the 

Stoorworra 59 

A  tide  of  water  rushed  into  his  mouth      .      .  70 

Then  he  hastened  away 81 

Silver  or  gold  will  not  buy  it 95 

"  I  am  the  Great  Serpent  "   , 112 

For  a  long  time  they  fought 133 

"Wicked  woman!"  he  cried 139 

Dropping  their  precious  burden  into  a  pan  of 

peas 146 

He  leapt   from  his   horse   and  came  close  to 

Sweet  Pea 153 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

"  Oh,  Carlos,  have  mercy  on  me !  "      .      .      .1 68 

"  I  have  been  looking  for  you  a  long  time  *'      .172 

"Then  what  do  you  want?"  asked  the  king  181 

He  met  an  old  woman  that  looked  like  a  witch  185 

She  was  combing  out  her  long  golden  hair      .    196 

The  King  of  the  Sparrow  Hawks  appeared     .    201 

Isora  vanished  but  soon  returned  with  a  casket  213 

Mary  stood  gazing  in  rapture  at  them      .      .    225 

"Welcome,   Prince  Teg,"  she  said      .      .      .251 

"  Prince,  don  this  armor  and  go  to  the  tourna- 
ment " 274 

"  You  would  rather  hunt  for  game  than  glory  "  278 

With  remarkable  skill  he  overthrew  the  fighters  282 


vEkSiTY 

OF 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM 
FOLK  LORE 

YELLOW  LILY 

A  FAIRY  TALE  FROM  IRISH  FOLK-LORE 

Once  upon  a  time,  when  fairies  were  as 
plentiful  as  dandelions  in  the  meadow, 
there  dwelt  in  Ireland  a  mighty  King  and 
his  good  Queen.  The  names  of  these 
great  rulers  have  long  since  been  forgot- 
ten by  writers  of  history,  for  they  lived 
hundreds  and  hundreds  of  years  ago. 

They  ruled  over  Erin,  and  lived  in  a 

great  stone  castle  built  high  upon  a  cliff 

overlooking  the  sea.     Erin  was  the  most 

beautiful  part  of  Ireland,  for  its  forests 

[1] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

and  great  stretches  of  land  were  as  green 
as  the  emerald,  and  its  skies  and  waters 
were  as  blue  as  the  turquoise. 

This  King  and  Queen  had  but  one  child, 
who  was  known  as  the  Prince  of  Erin. 
lie  was  a  bright,  handsome  boy,  but  he 
cared  only  to  have  a  good  time.  His 
father  had  often  told  him  how  wrong  it 
was  for  him  to  make  bets,  but  the  lad 
gave  no  heed  to  his  advice. 

One  day  the  Prince  went  out  in  the 
wood  to  hunt  for  deer.  He  tramped 
about  all  day  long,  carrying  his  bow  and 
arrows,  but  no  deer  could  he  find.  At 
last  he  sat  down  to  rest. 

He  was  almost  asleep  when  he  heard  a 
shrill  whistle  behind  him  and  the  tramp- 
ing of  heavy  feet  upon  the  fallen  tim- 
bers. 

**Who  are  you?"  cried  a  loud,  gruff 
voice. 

[2] 


YELLOW  LILY 

The  Prince  turned  quickly  and  saw  a 
giant  striding  towards  him  down  the  hill. 
He  was  almost  as  tall  as  the  tallest  tree, 
and  his  face  was  frightful  to  see.  His 
eyes  were  Uke  balls  of  fire  and  his  nos- 
trils belched  forth  black  smoke. 

"Woe  is  me;  it  is  the  Giant  of  Loch 
Lein!"  cried  the  Prince.  He  wanted  to 
run  away  as  fast  as  he  could,  but  his  feet 
would  not  move.  He  stood  trembling  in 
every  limb,  for  he  knew  that  the  Giant 
of  Loch  Lein  hunted  in  the  wood  for  boys 
just  as  the  boys  hunted  for  game.  Many 
a  lad  had  been  seized  by  the  terrible  crea- 
ture, taken  to  his  castle  in  the  heart  of  the 
forest,  and  had  never  returned  to  his  par- 
ents. 

"Who  are  you?"  again  roared  the 
Giant. 

"I  am  the  son  of  the  King  of  Erin," 
replied  the  boy,  trying  to  be  brave. 
[3] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"I  have  been  waiting  for  you  a  long 
time,"  said  the  Giant  with  a  laugh  that 
sounded  like  a  thunder  clap.  "I  have 
never  eaten  a  real  prince,  although  I  have 
heard  that  their  meat  is  very  tender." 

The  Prince  turned  away,  weak  with 
fright;  but  the  Giant  seized  him  and 
said: 

"Do  not  be  frightened.  As  you  are  a 
son  of  the  Ruler  of  Erin,  I  will  give  you 
a  chance  to  escape.  I  understand  that 
you  can  play  fine  games,  and  that  you  are 
fond  of  betting.  Let  us  play  a  game  on 
this  hillside.  If  you  win,  I  will  set  you 
free ;  but  if  you  lose,  I  will  take  you  to  my 
castle,  never  to  return  to  your  home 
again." 

The  Prince  was  so  fond  of  playing 
games  that,  even  in  his  fright,  he  agreed 
to  do  as  the  Giant  wished. 

"I  have  two  fine  estates,  each  contain- 

[4] 


YELLOW  LILY 

ing  a  castle,"  said  the  Giant.  "They  are 
yours  if  you  beat  me  at  the  game." 

"And  I  also  have  two  estates  which  shall 
be  yours,  if  you  beat  me,"  replied  the 
Prince.  "No  man  in  Erin  has  ever  beaten 
me  at  any  game." 

So  they  played  until  dusk,  the  Prince 
quite  forgetting  his  fear  of  the  Giant. 
Although  the  Giant  of  Loch  Lein  was  a 
skillful  player,  the  prince  of  Erin  beat 
him  badly. 

"You  may  go,"  grumbled  the  Giant 
when  the  game  was  at  an  end.  "You  are 
surely  a  wonderful  player — the  best  in  all 
the  land." 

Most  of  the  old  historians  agree  that 
the  Prince  of  Erin  did  not  tell  his  par- 
ents anything  about  his  narrow  escape 
from  the  Giant.  As  soon  as  he  reached 
home,  he  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  tallest 
tower  where  he  could  gaze  at  the  forest 
[5] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

in  the  distance,  in  which  stood  the  castle 
of  the  Giant. 

"I  will  go  again  to-morrow  and  beat  the 
Giant,  for  it  will  be  huge  sport,"  he  said  to 
himself.  "Even  if  I  be  beaten,  the  Giant 
dare  not  destroy  the  son  of  the  King  of 
Erin,  for  my  father's  army  will  search 
for  me  and  tear  down  the  castle  of  the 
Giant  when  I  am  found.  Besides,  I  un- 
derstand that  he  has  three  beautiful 
daughters,  the  fairest  girls  in  all  the  land. 
I  should  like  to  see  them." 

On  the  next  morning,  while  the  Prince 
was  preparing  to  go  hunting,  the  wisest 
old  man  in  the  court,  whose  name  was 
Glic,  went  to  the  King  and  said: 

**The  Prince  is  about  to  go  hunting.  I 
beg  you  not  to  let  him  go,  for  I  fear  that 
some  great  danger  will  befall  him." 

The  King  commanded  his  son  to  stay 
inside  the  palace  all  day ;  but  when  no  one 
[6] 


YELLOW  LILY 

was  looking,  the  Prince  stole  away  to  the 
hillside  near  the  forest.  Again  he  heard 
a  shrill  whistle  that  shook  the  boughs  of 
the  trees  like  a  gale,  and  in  a  few  moments 
he  saw  the  Giant  striding  towards  him. 

"Ho,  ho,  my  young  Prince!"  cried  the 
Giant.  "I  knew  that  you  would  come 
back  to-day.  Let  us  have  another  game. 
What  will  you  wager  that  you  can  beat 
me  playing?" 

"I  will  wager  my  herd  of  cattle,"  said 
the  Prince,  not  so  much  frightened  as  be- 
fore. 

"And  I  will  wager  five  hundred  bul- 
locks with  gold  horns  and  silver  hoofs," 
said  the  Giant.  "I  am  quite  sure  that  you 
cannot  beat  me  again." 

"Agreed,"  said  the  Prince,  and  at  once 
they  began  to  play. 

In  a  short  time  the  Prince  won  the 
game,  and  the  Giant  set  up  a  howl  of 
[7] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

rage.  Turning  towards  the  forest  he 
whistled  loudly  three  times,  and  five  hun- 
dred bullocks  with  gold  horns  and  sil- 
ver hoofs  came  forth. 

"They  are  yours,"  said  the  Giant. 
"Follow  them  to  your  palace  gate  and 
come  again  to-morrow." 

The  Prince,  filled  with  the  delight  of 
triumph,  followed  the  cattle  to  the  palace 
gate  where  the  King's  herder  took  charge 
of  them.  Then  he  hastened  to  his  father 
and  mother  and  bade  them  go  to  see  the 
costly  wager  he  had  won  from  the  Giant 
of  Loch  Lein. 

The  King  and  Queen  and  all  the  court 
were  delighted  with  the  cattle,  whose  gold 
horns  and  silver  hoofs  shone  in  the  sun- 
light. 

On  the  third  morning  the  Prince  of 
Erin  again  put  on  his  hunting  clothes  and 

[8] 


YELLOW  LILY 

started  to  the  forest ;  but  Glic,  the  fortune 
teller,  again  stopped  him. 

"No  good  can  come  from  this  gaming, 
for  the  Giant  will  beat  you  at  last,  and 
you  will  never  return  to  us  again,"  said 
GHc. 

"I  am  not  afraid,"  laughed  the  Prince, 
"for  if  he  take  me  prisoner,  I  will  have  his 
head." 

So  he  set  forth  again,  singing  a  merry 
tune.  Hardly  had  he  seated  himself  up- 
on the  hillside  when  he  heard  the  Giant's 
whistle.  The  Prince  was  not  at  all 
frightened,  although  the  Giant  scowled 
with  anger  because  he  had  been  obliged 
to  give  up  his  herd  of  cattle. 

"What  will  you  wager  to-day?"  roared 
the  Giant. 

"I  will  wager  my  head  against  yours," 
said  the  Prince  boldly. 
19] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"Ha,  ha!  you  have  grown  quite  brave," 
laughed  the  Giant  mockingly.  "I  will 
wager  my  head  that  I  can  beat  you  to-day. 
If  you  lose  the  game,  I  will  have  your 
head  before  the  sun  rises  to-morrow." 

They  played  on  the  hillside  till  dusk. 
The  game  was  a  close  one,  full  of  breath- 
less interest  and  excitement;  but  the 
Prince  was  beaten.  With  a  shout  of  tri- 
umph the  Giant  danced  about,  trampling 
down  small  trees  and  bushes. 

The  Prince  was  indeed  sorry  that  he  had 
wagered  such  a  useful  piece  of  property 
as  his  head,  but  he  did  not  complain. 

"You  are  an  honest  lad,  even  though 
you  are  rash,"  he  said  presently.  "I  will 
let  you  Uve  one  year  and  one  day  longer. 
Go  home  to  the  palace,  but  do  not  tell 
any  one  that  I  am  to  have  your  head. 
When  the  time  has  passed  by,  come  back 
again  to  the  hillside  to  pay  your  wager." 

[10] 


YELLOW  LILY 


Then  the  Giant  vanished,  leaving  the 
poor  Prince  alone,  very  sick  at  heart.  He 
did  not  go  home  but 
wandered  about, 
not  caring  whither 
he  went.  Finally 
he  found  that  he 
was  in  a  strange 
land  far  beyond  the 
border  line  of  Erin. 
On  each  side  were 
green  pasture 
lands,  and  in  the 
distance  were  high 
green  hills ;  but  not 
a  house  could  b  e 
seen. 

He  wandered  on 
and  on,  weak  from 
hunger,  till  he  came  to  an  old  hut  that 
stood  at  the  foot  of  a  hill.     It  was  lighted 
[11] 


AN    OLD    WOMAN 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

by  a  candle.  He  entered  and  came  face 
to  face  with  an  old  woman  who  had  been 
bending  over  a  fire.  Her  teeth  were  as 
long  as  the  staff  he  carried  and  her  scant 
hair  hung  loosely  about  her  face. 

Before  the  Prince  could  speak,  the  old 
woman  said: 

"You  are  welcome  in  my  house,  son  of 
the  King  of  Erin." 

Then  she  took  him  by  the  hand,  led  him 
into  a  corner  of  the  room,  and  told  him  to 
wash  his  face  and  hands.  In  the  mean- 
time she  made  him  some  hot  porridge  and 
bade  him  eat  a  hearty  meal. 

The  Prince  was  much  surprised  because 
she  knew  his  name,  and  he  wondered  why 
she  remained  so  quiet.  He  thought  she 
must  be  a  witch;  but  hungry  boys,  no 
matter  how  high  their  station,  are  apt  to 
forget  danger  when  a  good  supper  is  set 
before  them.     After  he  had  eaten  and 

[12] 


YELLOW  LILY 

drunk  all  he  wanted,  he  sat  by  the  fire 
until  she  took  him  to  a  bedroom  and  told 
him  to  go  to  bed. 

On  the  next  morning  he  was  awakened 
by  the  witch,  who  bade  him  rise  and  eat  his 
breakfast  of  bread  and  milk. 

He  did  as  he  was  told,  without  so  much 
as  bidding  her  good  morning. 

"I  know  what  is  bothering  you,  son  of 
the  King  of  Erin,"  she  said.  "If  you  do 
as  I  bid  you,  you  will  have  no  cause  for 
regret.  Here  is  a  ball  of  thread.  Hold 
to  one  end  of  the  thread  and  throw  the 
ball  before  you.  When  you  start  on  your 
journey  the  ball  will  roll;  but  you  must 
keep  following  it  and  winding  the  thread 
all  the  time  or  you  will  be  lost  again. 
You  were  with  me  last  night ;  you  will  be 
with  my  sister  to-night." 

The  Prince  took  the  ball  of  thread; 
threw  it  before  him,  and  began  walking 
[13] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 


slowly  and  winding 
the  thread  into  an- 
other ball.  With 
each  step  that  he 
took,  the  ball 
moved  further  and 
further  away  from 
him.  All  day  long 
he  trudged  up  hill 
and  down  dell, 
faster  and  faster, 
until  his  feet  and 
hands  were  so  tired 
h  e  could  scarcely 
move  them.  At 
last  the  ball  of 
thread  stopped  at 
the  door  of  a  hut 
that  stood  at  the 
foot  of  a  high  hill. 


"^^u:::^ZJ:^''  a  candle  flickered 


[14] 


YELLOW  LILY 

in  the  window.  He  picked  up  the  ball 
and  ran  to  the  door  where  he  met  another 
old  witch  whose  teeth  were  as  long  as 
crutches. 

"Welcome,  son  of  the  King  of  Erin!" 
she  cried.  "You  were  with  my  youngest 
sister  last  night;  you  will  be  with  me  to- 
night ;  and  to-morrow  you  will  be  with  my 
eldest  sister." 

She  took  him  into  the  hut,  bade  him 
wash  his  hands  and  face,  gave  him  a 
hearty  supper  of  porridge  and  cakes,  and 
sent  him  to  bed. 

The  next  morning  she  called  him  to 
breakfast.  When  he  had  finished  eating, 
she  gave  him  a  ball  of  thread  and  told  him 
to  follow  it  as  before. 

The  Prince  followed  it  through  field 
and  over  common,  hurrying  faster  and 
faster  every  minute,  until  late  on  the  fol- 
lowing evening,  when  it  stopped  at  the 

[15] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

door  of  a  hut  that  stood  at  the  foot  of  a 
hill.  A  candle  sputtered  in  the  window 
as  if  to  welcome  him.  A  witch,  more 
homely  than  the  others,  stood  by  the  fire 
making  porridge. 

She  greeted  the  Prince  as  her  sisters  had 
done,  bade  him  wash  his  face  and  hands, 
gave  him  his  supper,  and  sent  him  to  bed. 
On  the  following  morning  after  break- 
fast she  gave  him  a  ball  of  thread  and 
said : 

"Son  of  the  Prince  of  Erin,  you  have 
lost  your  head  to  the  Giant  of  Loch  Lein, 
who  lives  near  by  in  a  great  castle  sur- 
rounded by  spikes.  Some  day  you  will 
lose  your  head  to  his  daughter.  Follow 
this  ball  of  thread  to  the  lake  behind  the 
castle.  When  you  reach  the  lake  at  mid- 
day, the  ball  will  be  unwound.  In  a  few 
minutes  more  the  daughters  of  the  cruel 
Giant  of  Loch  Lein  will  come  to  the  lake 
[16] 


YELLOW  LILY 

to  bathe.  Their  names  are  Blue  Lily, 
White  Lily,  and  Yellow  Lily.  The  lat- 
ter is  the  wisest  and  most  beautiful  of  the 
three.  Steal  her  clothing  and  do  not  give 
it  up  until  she  promises  to  help  you,  for 
she  is  the  only  person  in  the  world  that  can 
outwit  the  Giant  of  Loch  Lein." 

The  Prince  thanked  the  witch  for  her 
advice,  and  followed  the  ball  of  thread  to 
the  Castle  of  Spikes,  which  was  a  dark, 
gloomy  building  hidden  from  view  by 
great  trees.  When  he  reached  the  lake 
behind  the  castle,  the  ball  of  thread  van- 
ished. 

He  stood  for  a  time  looking  at  the  lake, 
which  looked  like  a  brilliant  turquoise  in 
the  sunshine.  Presently  he  heard  girl- 
ish shouts  of  laughter.  He  concealed 
himself  behind  a  clump  of  bushes  where 
he  could  see  without  being  seen.  Three 
beautiful  girls  came  tripping  down  to  the 
[17] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

edge  of  the  water,  where  they  stopped  to 
look  all  about  them. 

It  was  very  easy  for  the  Prince  to  make 
out  their  names.  The  tallest  one,  who 
wore  a  gown  of  pale  blue,  had  eyes  as  blue 
as  the  skies  above;  he  knew  that  she  must 
be  Blue  Lily.  One  of  them  was  so  fair 
that  she  looked  as  though  she  were  carved 
from  marble;  he  was  sure  that  she  was 
White  Lily.  But  Yellow  Lily  was  small 
and  slender,  with  hair  that  shone  hke  gold 
in  the  sunlight.  She  was  wonderfully 
graceful  and  beautiful. 

Yellow  Lily  threw  off  her  robe  of  spun 
gold  and  stood  dressed  in  a  bathing  suit 
of  the  same  material.  With  a  joyous 
shout  she  leapt  into  the  water,  followed 
by  her  sisters. 

The  Prince  of  Erin  darted  forth  from 
his  hiding-place,  and  seized  the  robe  of 

[18] 


YELLOW  LILY 

spun   gold.     Yellow  Lily   saw  him  and 
cried  at  the  top  of  her  voice : 

"Give  me  back  my  golden  robe.  My 
father  will  kill  me  if  I  lose  it.  Please 
do  not  run  away." 

"What  will  you  give  me  for  it?"  asked 
the  Prince,  moving  slowly  backward  from 
the  pool. 

"Anything  that  you  wish,  for  I  am 
guarded  by  a  fairy  godmother  who  makes 
all  things  possible,"  replied  Yellow  Lily. 

"I  have  come  to  give  myself  up  to  your 
father,  the  Giant  of  Loch  Leia,  according 
to  my  promise,"  said  the  Prince.  "I 
would  ask  you  to  have  him  set  me  free. 
Here  is  your  gown." 

He  laid  the  robe  upon  the  grass  and 
walked  away  up  the  hill  towards  the  cas- 
tle.    In  a  few  moments  he  was  joined  by 
Yellow  Lily  dressed  in  her  golden  robe. 
[19] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"You  are  the  son  of  the  King  of  Erin," 
she  said  smiHng  sweetly,  and  catching  step 
with  him.  *'If  you  do  as  I  say,  you  will 
not  lose  your  head;  but  in  the  future  I 
hope  that  you  will  never  become  so  foolish 
as  to  wager  your  head  or  any  other  trifle 
you  may  have." 

"I  promise  you  that  I  will  not,"  said  the 
Prince,  looking  at  her  admiringly.  "If 
your  father  had  wagered  your  pretty 
golden  head,  I  believe  I  could  have  beaten 
him  at  the  game." 

Yellow  Lily  tossed  her  curls  and 
laughed  merrily,  saying:  "Father  has  a 
soft  bed  for  you  in  a  deep  tank;  but  do 
not  worry,  for  I  will  help  you." 

They  passed  in  silence  through  the  stone 
gates  of  the  Castle  of  Spikes.  The  great 
stone  courts,  balconies,  and  battlements 
were  quite  deserted.  Yellow  Lily  took 
the  Prince  into  the  kitchen,  which  was  the 

[20] 


YELLOW  LILY 

largest  one  he  had  ever  seen.  The  floor 
was  made  of  white  cobblestones,  and  a 
brass  caldron  boiled  over  the  flames  in  the 
great  fireplace.  Yellow  Lily  hid  the 
Prince  behind  a  curtain  in  one  corner  of 
the  room. 

Presently  the  Giant  of  Loch  Lein  ap- 
peared and  sank  down  into  a  chair  before 
the  fireplace.  He  began  to  sniff*  the  air 
and  finally  roared : 

"The  son  of  the  King  of  Erin  is  here! 
Fetch  him  hither.  Yellow  Lily." 

The  girl  did  as  she  was  bidden.  The 
Prince  could  not  keep  from  trembling  as 
he  stood  before  the  fierce  Giant,  although 
he  felt  that  Yellow  Lily  would  keep  her 
promise. 

"You  must  be  very  tired,"  roared  the 
Giant,  so  loudly  that  the  dishes  on  the 
shelves  rattled.  "I  have  a  nice  soft  bed 
for  you." 

[21] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

He  seized  the  Prince,  carried  him  across 
the  kitchen,  opened  a  tank,  and  threw  him 
in.  Splash!  The  Prince  fell  head  first 
into  three  feet  of  water. 

What  was  still  more  terrible,  the  Giant 
fastened  down  the  lid  of  the  tank.  The 
Prince  feared  the  dark  far  more  than  he 
did  the  water,  but  he  did  not  cry  out.  He 
stood  shivering  for  more  than  an  hour, 
wondering  if  Yellow  Lily  had  forgotten 
him,  and  wishing  that  he  was  safe  at  home 
in  his  bed  of  silk  and  gold. 

At  last  the  lid  was  raised,  and  Yellow 
Lily  peeped  down  at  him,  smiling  rogu- 
ishly. 

"Shall  I  steal  your  clothes  and  run 
away,  as  you  tried  to  do  to-day?"  she  said 
softly. 

"No,  do  not  let  me  stay  in  this  place.  I 
will  do  anything  you  may  want  me  to  do," 
pleaded  the  Prince,  with  chattering  teeth. 

[22] 


YELLOW  LILY 

"Then  climb  out;  put  on  these  dry, 
warm  clothes  I  have  for  you;  and  have 
some  supper,"  she  said. 

It  did  not  take  the  Prince  long  to  get 
out  of  his  soft  bed.  He  found  the 
Giant  sound  asleep  before  the  fireplace, 
snoring  loud  enough  to  drown  the  most 
terrible  crash  of  thunder. 

Yellow  Lily  spoke  not  a  word,  but  gave 
the  Prince  some  dry  clothing  and  told  him 
to  stay  in  the  corner  until  she  returned. 
Before  long  she  came  back  with  a  tempt- 
ing supper  smoking  upon  a  tray,  and  told 
him  to  eat.  He  was  very  hungry  and  ate 
very  heartily.  Then  she  took  him  to  an- 
other corner  of  the  room  and  raised  a  cur- 
tain that  hung  there. 

He  saw  a  soft,  white  bed  and  a  table 
that  held  fresh  water  and  towels.  Yel- 
low Lily  wished  him  happy  dreams  and 
hastened  away. 

[23] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

At  break  of  day  she  returned  and  said 
excitedly : 

"Awaken,  Prince  of  Erin !  Do  not  lose 
a  moment  or  we  are  lost.  Put  on  the 
clothes  you  wore  yesterday  and  follow 
me." 

The  Prince  rose  and  dressed  himself 
as  quickly  as  possible.  Then  he  drew 
back  the  curtain  that  hid  his  bed,  and  fol- 
lowed the  girl. 

"When  the  chickens  begin  to  cackle, 
father  will  awaken,"  she  whispered. 
"Leap  back  into  the  tank  and  I  will  shut 
down  the  lid." 

The  Prince  hesitated. 

"Do  as  I  say,  or  we  are  both  lost,"  said 
the  girl. 

The  Prince  jumped  into  the  tank,  and 
Yellow  Lily  closed  the  lid.  The  splash 
aroused  the  Giant,  who  stretched  his  heavy 
limbs,    rubbed    his    nose,    and    yawned. 

[24] 


YELLOW  LILY 

Then  he  opened  his  eyes,  gazed  all  about 
him,  strode  across  the  room,  opened  the 
tank,  and  shouted : 

"Good  morning.  Prince  of  Erin;  how 
did  you  like  your  nice  soft  bed  last  night?" 

"I  never  slept  better,  thank  you,"  truth- 
fully answered  the  Prince. 

"Then  climb  out,"  commanded  the 
Giant. 

The  Prince  obeyed. 

"Since  you  have  slept  so  soundly,  you 
shall  do  some  hard  work  to-day,"  said  the 
Giant.  "I  will  spare  you  your  head  if 
you  will  clean  out  my  stables.  They  con- 
tain five  hundred  horses  and  they  have  not 
been  cleaned  for  seven  hundred  years.  I 
am  anxious  to  find  my  great-grand- 
mother's slumber-pin  which  was  lost  some- 
where in  these  stables.  The  poor  old  soul 
never  slept  a  wink  after  losing  it,  so  she 
died  for  want  of  sleep.     I  want  the  slum- 

[25] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

ber-pin  for  my  own  use,  as  I  am  a  very 
light  sleeper." 

"I  will  do  my  best  to  get  the  pin,"  said 
the  Prince,  almost  discouraged,  for  he  had 
never  so  much  as  cleaned  the  tips  of  his 
boots. 

"Here  are  two  shovels,  an  old  one  and 
a  new  one,"  said  the  Giant  gruffly.  "You 
may  take  your  choice.  Dig  away  until 
you  find  the  slumber-pin.  I  shall  expect 
it  when  I  come  home  to-night." 

The  Prince  took  the  new  shovel  and  fol- 
lowed the  Giant  to  the  stables  where  hun- 
dreds of  horses  began  to  neigh,  making  a 
most  deafening  noise. 

"Remember,  Prince  of  Erin,  I  will 
either  have  the  slumber-pin  or  your  head," 
said  the  Giant,  as  he  walked  away. 

The  Prince  set  to  work,  but  every  time 
he  threw  a  shovelful  out  of  the  window, 
two  shovelfuls  came  flying  in  to  take  its 
[26] 


YELLOW  LILY 

place.  At  last,  tired  and  discouraged,  he 
sat  down  to  rest. 

At  that  moment  Yellow  Lily  appeared, 
more  beautiful  than  ever  in  another  gown 
of  gold  and  silver,  with  yellow  flowers  in 
her  golden  hair. 

"  What  are  you  trying  to  do.  Prince  of 
Erin?"  she  asked,  dimpling  with  laughter. 

"I  am  trying  to  find  your  great-great- 
grandmother's  slumber-pin,"  was  the  piti- 
ful reply, 

"You  are  a  mighty  Prince  and  my 
father  is  a  mighty  Giant,  yet  you  are  both 
foolish  as  all  men  are,"  she  said.  "How 
do  you  suppose  my  great-great-grand- 
mother could  lose  her  slumber-pin  in  the 
stables?  I  have  the  slumber-pin  myself; 
here  it  is.  I  put  it  in  father's  pocket  last 
night  so  he  could  not  wake  up  and  catch 


us." 


"What  a  useful  girl  you  are!"  cried 
[27] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

the  Prince,  beside  himself  with  joy  and 
admiration. 

All  day  long  they  visited  until  Yellow 
Lily  said  that  she  must  go,  for  she  heard 
her  father's  footsteps  a  league  away,  and 
he  would  be  there  in  two  minutes. 

When  the  Giant  saw  that  the  Prince 
had  found  the  slumber-pin,  he  was  great- 
ly surprised. 

"Either  my  daughter.  Yellow  Lily,  has 
aided  you,  or  else  it  was  the  Evil  Spirit," 
he  muttered. 

Before  the  Prince  could  reply,  the 
Giant  picked  him  up,  carried  him  back 
to  the  kitchen,  and  again  threw  him  into 
the  tank.  Then  he  sat  down  by  the  fire, 
holding  the  slumber-pin.  Soon  he  began 
to  snore  like  a  thousand  locomotives. 

Up  went  the  lid  of  the  tank,  and  Yel- 
low Lily,  sweet  and  smiling,  shouted 
down  at  the  top  of  her  voice: 

[28] 


YELLOW  LILY 

"Get  up  from  your  soft  bed.  Prince  of 
Erin ;  eat  the  supper  I  have  prepared,  and 
talk  as  loudly  as  you  wish,  for  father  has 
gone  to  sleep  holding  great-great-grand- 
mother's slumber-pin." 

The  evening  they  spent  together  w^as  a 
merry  one,  and  after  Yellow  Lily  had 
joined  her  sisters  in  the  watch-tower,  the 
Prince  again  slept  in  the  soft  bed  in  the 
corner  of  the  kitchen.  At  dawn  Yellow 
Lily  again  awakened  him  and  told  him 
to  hurry  back  to  the  tank. 

As  soon  as  the  lid  was  closed.  Yellow 
Lily  rushed  to  her  father's  side,  seized  the 
slumber-pin,  and  threw  it  upon  the  floor. 
The  Giant  gave  a  roar  and  fell  sprawling 
upon  the  cobblestones. 

"Who  woke  me  up?"  he  growled,  try- 
ing to  gain  his  feet. 

"I  did,  dear  father,"  said  the  girl  meek- 
ly. "You  would  have  slept  forever  had 
[29] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

I  not  pulled  the  slumber-pin  from  your 
grasp.     It  is  very  late." 

"You  are  a  good,  trustworthy  daugh- 
ter," said  the  Giant.  "I  will  get  you 
something  pretty." 

He  went  to  the  tank  and  commanded 
the  Prince  to  get  out  of  his  nice,  soft  bed. 

"You  have  lain  in  bed  so  long,  you 
must  work  still  harder  to-day,"  he  added. 
"My  stables  have  not  been  thatched  for 
many  years,  and  I  want  you  to  do  it  to- 
day. They  cover  many  acres,  but  if  you 
finish  them  before  dark  I  will  spare  you 
your  head.  They  must  be  thatched  with 
feathers,  to  be  put  on  one  at  a  time,  and 
no  two  of  them  must  be  alike." 

The  Prince  was  again  cast  down,  but 
he  said  that  he  would  do  his  best. 

"But  where  shall  I  find  the  birds?"  he 
asked  after  a  period  of  helpless  silence. 

"Where  do  you  suppose?     I  hope  you 

[SO] 


YELLOW  LILY 

would  not  try  to  find  them  in  the  frog 
pond,"  was  the  impatient  answer.  "Here 
are  two  whistles,  an  old  one  and  a  new 
one.     You  may  take  your  choice." 

"I'll  take  the  new  one,"  said  the  Prince, 
and  the  Giant  gave  him  a  whistle  that 
looked  as  though  it  had  never  been  used. 

"Some  day  you  will  learn  that  old 
things  are  best,"  said  the  Giant  scorn- 
fully. 

When  the  Giant  had  gone,  the  Prince 
blew  the  whistle  until  his  lips  were  puck- 
ered out  of  shape,  but  not  a  fowl  came  to 
his  rescue.  At  last  he  sat  down  upon  a 
rock,  almost  ready  to  cry. 

But  Yellow  Lily  came  again,  lovelier 
than  ever  in  another  yellow  gown  trimmed 
with  the  wings  of  dragon  flies,  and  with 
pearls  in  her  glorious  hair. 

"Why  do  you  sit  whistling  instead  of 
working?"  she  asked.     "Poor  Prince,  you 

[31] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

must  be  hungry.  Here  is  a  little  table 
set  for  two  under  this  big  tree.  When 
things  worry  you,  don't  give  up.  The 
man  who  keeps  his  appetite  has  no  cause 
to  despair." 

So  they  sat  down  and  ate  peacock 
tongues  and  frosted  cakes  and  almonds 
and  many  other  delicacies,  and  were  hap- 
pier than  ever. 

"But  it  is  growing  late,  and  the  stable 
is  still  unthatched!"  cried  the  Prince,  sud- 
denly remembering  his  task  as  soon  as  his 
appetite  was  satisfied. 

"Look  behind  you,"  said  the  girl. 

The  Prince,  to  his  utter  surprise,  saw 
that  the  stables  were  thatched  with  downy 
bird  feathers,  no  two  of  them  alike. 

"You  are  a  wonder,"  he  said,  grasping 
her  hands  in  gratitude. 

"Not  at  all,"  she  replied.  "How  could 
the  birds  work  for  you  while  you  stood 

[82] 


YELLOW  LILY 

there  blowing  that  terrible  whistle?  Birds 
would  be  as  good  friends  to  people  as 
dogs  are,  if  people  did  not  frighten  them 
so.  But  say  no  more.  I  hear  father 
drinking  at  the  spring  two  miles  away, 
and  he  will  be  here  in  four  minutes." 

She  drew  her  skirts  closely  about  her 
and  with  a  sweet  smile  hastened  into  the 
castle. 

"Who  thatched  that  roof?"  shouted  the 
Giant  as  soon  as  he  arrived. 

"My  own  strength  did  it,"  said  the 
Prince  humbly,  feeling  that  he  had  not 
told  a  falsehood,  for  Yellow  Lily  was 
even  more  than  strength  to  him. 

The  Giant,  instead  of  thanking  him  for 
his  services,  seized  him  again,  and  threw 
him  headlong  into  the  kitchen  tank.  Then 
he  sat  down  by  the  fire.  No  sooner  had 
his  head  begun  to  nod  than  Yellow  Lily 
placed  the  slumber-pin  over  his  nose  to  be 

[33] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

sure  that  he  could  not  wake  up.  Then 
she  set  the  Prince  free,  and  they  spent  the 
evening  as  before,  except  that  there  was 
much  more  merriment. 

On  the  following  morning  the  Giant 
opened  the  tank  and  ordered  the  Prince 
to  climb  out. 

"I  have  a  task  for  you  to  do  that  even 
a  Prince  cannot  do,"  he  said.  "I  am 
sure  that  I  shall  have  your  head  before 
night.  Near  the  castle  is  a  tree  nine 
hundred  feet  high.  It  has  but  one  branch 
and  that  is  near  the  top.  This  branch 
contains  a  crow's  nest.  In  the  nest  is  one 
egg.  I  want  that  egg  for  supper  to- 
night. If  you  do  not  get  it,  you  will  be 
sorry." 

The  Giant  took  the  Prince  to  the  tree, 
which  rose  like  a  great  pillar  of  smooth 
glass,  so  slippery  that  not  even  an  ant 
could  crawl  upon  it  without  sliding  off. 

[84] 


YELLOW  LILY 

When  the  Giant  had  gone,  the  Prince 
tried  a  dozen  times  to  climb  to  the  top, 
but  each  time  he  slipped  back  to  the 
earth  quicker  and  harder  than  before. 
He  was  glad  indeed  when  Yellow  Lily 
came. 

And  now  comes  the  bloodcurdling  part 
of  the  tale  that  I  would  rather  omit;  but 
I  must  tell  it  all  to  you  just  as  the  dear 
little  Irish  children  heard  it  centuries  ago, 
or  I  should  feel  that  I  had  marred  this 
ancient  bit  of  fairy  folk-lore. 

Yellow  Lily,  as  usual,  brought  some- 
thing to  eat,  and  after  they  had  eaten,  she, 
for  the  first  time,  turned  upon  the  Prince 
a  sorrowful  face. 

"I  am  sorry  father  gave  you  this  task 
to  do ;  but  we  must  submit  to  what  cannot 
be  helped,"  she  said.  "Alas!  dear  Prince, 
you  must  kill  me." 

"Kill  you !"  he  cried  in  horror.    "Never! 

[35] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

I  would  rather  lose  my  head  a  thousand 
times." 

"But,  if  you  are  careful,  I  shall  come 
to  hfe  again,"  persisted  the  girl.  "My 
fairy  godmother  will  care  J'or  me.  You 
will  find  it  easy  to  strip  off  my  flesh,  for 
you  have  only  to  say,  ^Yellow  Lily  of 
Loch  Lein.'  Say  it  again  and  my  bones 
will  all  separate.  You  will  find  that  my 
bones  will  stick  to  this  tree  like  little  steps. 
On  the  ladder  of  bones  you  can  climb  to 
the  top  of  the  tree.  Get  the  egg  and 
climb  down  carefully,  each  time  pulling 
one  of  my  bones  from  the  tree  until  you 
have  reached  the  earth.  Then  pile  the 
bones  in  a  heap  upon  my  flesh  and  say, 
*Come  back.  Yellow  Lily  of  Loch  Lein,' 
and  lol  I  will  be  myself  again.  But  be 
careful — ^be  careful  not  to  leave  one  of 
my  bones  on  the  tree." 

For  a  long  time  the  Prince  refused  to 
[36] 


YELLOW  LILY 

obey  her  request  until  Yellow  Lily  grew 
vexed  and  said: 

"Then  I  will  tell  father  that  I  have 
been  helping  you,  and  he  will  kill  us  both. 
Make  haste,  for  the  time  is  short." 

"Yellow  Lily  of  Loch  Lein!"  shouted 
the  Prince,  without  looking  at  her.  "Yel- 
low Lily  of  Loch  Lein!"  he  shouted  again. 

Then  he  looked  down  and  saw  at  his 
feet  a  stack  of  little  white  bones.  He 
gathered  them  up  and,  climbing  slowly, 
made  a  little  ladder  by  sticking  them 
against  the  tree.  He  soon  reached  the 
crow's  nest,  found  the  egg,  placed  it  in 
his  pocket,  and  climbed  down  again, 
plucking  the  bones  from  the  tree  as  he 
went.  Then  he  piled  them  upon  the  flesh 
and  garments  of  the  girl  and,  with  tears 
in  his  eyes,  shouted: 

"Come  back,  Yellow  Lily  of  Loch 
LeinI" 

[37] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

And  immediately  Yellow  Lily  stood  be- 
fore him,  but  no  longer  smiling. 

"Wretch!"  she  cried.  "You  have  made 
me  a  cripple  for  life!  You  are  nothing 
but  a  careless  boy  after  all." 

"Oh,  what  have  I  neglected  to  do?" 
cried  the  Prince,  sick  with  fear. 

"There  is  one  of  my  little  toes  still 
hanging  to  the  tree.  Oh,  what  an  awk- 
ward creature  a  Prince  is!" 

The  Prince  on  his  knees  begged  her 
pardon,  and  finally  Yellow  Lily  broke  into 
her  old,  sweet  smile  and  said: 

"I  am  thankful  it  is  no  worse.  What 
a  sight  I  would  be  if  you  had  forgotten 
my  backbone!" 

So  they  became  merry  and  talkative 
again  until  it  was  time  for  the  Giant  to 
arrive.  Then  Yellow  Lily  went  to  h^r 
tower  and  the  Prince  took  his  stand  at  the 
castle  gate  holding  the  crow's  egg. 

[38] 


YELLOW  LILY 

"You  are  certainly  a  magician!"  gasped 
the  Giant  when  he  saw  the  Prince.  "I 
cannot  take  your  head,  lest  a  worse  fate 
befall  me.  Go  home  at  once.  Do  not 
linger  here  a  minute." 

The  Prince  wanted  to  bid  farewell  to 
Yellow  Lily,  but  of  course,  that  was  im- 
possible, so  he  hastened  home  as  fast  as 
he  could. 

When  he  reached  the  Palace  of  Erin, 
the  King,  the  Queen,  old  Glic,  and  all  the 
court  ran  out  to  greet  him.  Never  before 
had  there  been  such  rejoicing  there.  For 
days  they  feasted  and  danced  to  melodious 
music,  and  a  tournament  was  held  in 
which  the  best  archers  in  the  kingdom 
tested  their  skill. 

A  year  later,  old  Glic,  who  was  always 

making  trouble,  told  the  King  that  it  was 

time  for  the  Prince  to  marry  some  noble 

lady  of  great  wealth.     The  Prince  would 

[39] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

have  liked  to  marry  Yellow  Lily,  but  the 
King  said  that  he  must  choose  a  Princess 
whose  rank  was  equal  to  his  own.  In 
despair  the  Prince  told  Glic  to  select  him 
a  wife  soon  or  he  would  go  roaming  again 
and  never  return. 

"I  have  found  a  suitable  lady,"  said 
Glic.  "Her  father  is  the  King  of  Loch 
Lein,  the  kingdom  that  is  next  to  ours. 
Her  father  is  powerful,  her  family  is 
famous,  her  wealth  cannot  be  counted, 
and  she  is  as  beautiful  as  the  Queen  of 
the  Fairies." 

"If  she  will  have  me,  I  will  marry  her," 
said  the  Prince,  "but  I  will  not  seek  her 
myself." 

The  King  sent  Glic  to  the  court  of  Loch 
Lein,  bearing  rich  gifts  and  guarded  by 
soldiers  and  attendants.  In  a  few  weeks 
he  returned  and  told  the  King  of  Erin 
that  the  King  of  Loch  Lein  had  consent- 

[40] 


YELLOW  LILY 

ed  to  give  the  Prince  his  daughter  in  mar- 
riage. 

Preparations  were  at  once  made  for  a 
great  wedding.  All  kinds  of  sports,  sev- 
eral dances,  and  other  amusements  were 
to  be  enjoyed  at  court,  and  the  royal 
families  of  many  different  kingdoms, 
even  from  the  isles  of  the  sea,  were  to  be 
present. 

The  Prince  himself  finally  grew  much 
interested  in  getting  ready  for  the  great 
events.  In  fact  he  almost  forgot  about 
Yellow  Lily  and  the  help  she  had  given 
him  to  save  his  head.  Yet  he  bade  his 
father  invite  the  Giant  of  Loch  Lein  to 
be  present  at  the  feast  to  be  given  before 
the  day  of  the  wedding.  It  was  also 
agreed  to  invite  Blue  Lily,  White  Lily, 
and  Yellow  Lily,  and  to  treat  them  as 
princesses  of  the  royal  blood. 

In  time  the  King  of  Loch  Lein,  who 

[41] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

was  an  aged  man,  arrived  with  his  daugh- 
ter and  a  shipful  of  attendants.  The 
gatekeeper  blew  his  bugle  and  the  whole 
court  of  Erin  ran  out  to  greet  them.  The 
King  and  Princess  of  Loch  Lein  were 
taken  into  the  reception  hall  where  the 
Queen  and  Prince  of  Erin  welcomed 
them. 

The  Prince  was  much  disappointed 
when  he  beheld  the  Princess,  and  was  very 
angry  with  Glic,  for  she  was  haughty  and 
not  at  all  pretty.  She  seemed  to  be  more 
pleased  with  the  costly  furniture  and 
tapestries  than  with  the  Prince. 

The  day  of  the  feast  came  at  last.  The 
table  in  the  banquet  hall  was  loaded  with 
fruits  and  costly  meats  of  all  kinds,  to  be 
served  upon  plates  of  solid  gold.  Every 
one  appeared  to  be  happy,  especially  old 
Glic,  who  was  to  receive  a  large  sum  of 
money  for  finding  the  Prince  a  wife. 

[42] 


YELLOW  LILY 

At  the  close  of  the  feast,  the  King  of 
Erin  sang  a  ballad  and  the  King  of  Loch 
Lein  told  a  story.  In  those  days  the  peo- 
ple were  fond  of  deeds  of  magic,  so  the 
Prince  requested  Glic  to  call  the  mighty 
Giant  of  Loch  Lein,  that  he  might  per- 
form some  tricks. 

In  a  few  moments  the  Giant  entered 
the  room,  bowing  sternly  as  the  people 
clapped  their  hands  and  cheered.  He 
did  not  look  at  the  Prince  but  bowed  low 
to  the  two  Kings. 

"Your  Majesties,'*  he  said,  "it  is  my 
daughter  who  is  the  real  magician.  I 
know  that  she  will  be  glad  to  entertain 
you  for  a  short  time.  In  fact  she  has 
consented  to  take  my  place." 

Just  then  Yellow  Lily  entered  the  room 
in  a  gown  of  gold  that  swept  the  floor. 
Her  golden  hair  shone  like  the  sun.  No 
one  present  had  ever  seen  such  glorious 

[43] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

hair  nor  such  a  beautiful  face  and  form. 
All  were  too  much  amazed  at  her  beauty 
and  elegance  to  utter  a  word  of  welcome. 

Yellow  Lily  sat  down  at  the  table  and 
threw  two  grains  of  wheat  into  the  air. 
They  lit  upon  the  table  and  turned  into 
a  male  and  a  female  pigeon.  Imme- 
diately the  former  began  to  peck  at  his 
mate,  almost  driving  her  from  the  table. 
To  the  surprise  of  all,  the  female  pigeon 
shrieked: 

"You  didn't  treat  me  thus  on  the  day  I 
cleaned  the  stable  for  you  and  found  the 
slumber-pin." 

Yellow  Lily  laid  two  grains  of  wheat 
before  them,  but  the  male  pigeon  greedily 
devoured  them  and  continued  to  abuse  his 
mate. 

"You  would  not  have  done  that  to  me 
the  day  I  thatched  the  stables  for  you  with 

[44] 


YELLOW  LILY 


THE  PIGEON   BEGAN   TO   PECK   AT   HIS   MATE 

[45] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

the  feathers  of  birds,  and  no  two  of  them 
alike,"  shrieked  the  female  pigeon. 

When  some  more  wheat  was  laid  be- 
fore them,  the  male  pigeon  ate  more 
greedily  than  before,  and  after  he  had 
eaten  every  grain  he  pushed  his  mate  off 
the  table.  She  fluttered  to  the  floor 
screaming : 

"You  wouldn't  have  done  that  the  day 
you  killed  me  and  took  my  bones  to  make 
steps  on  the  glass  tree  nine  hundred  feet 
high,  to  get  the  crow's  egg  for  the  supper 
of  the  Giant  of  Loch  Lein — and  forgot 
my  little  toe,  and  made  me  lame  for 
life!" 

The  Prince  of  Erin  rose  to  his  feet,  red 
with  shame,  and  turning  to  the  King  of 
Loch  Lein,  said: 

"When  I  was  younger  I  roamed  about 
hunting  and  playing  games.  Once,  while 
away  from  home,  I  lost  the  key  to  a  val- 
[46] 


YELLOW  LILY 

uable  chest.  After  a  new  key  was  made 
I  found  the  old  one.  Which  of  the  two 
keys  should  be  kept,  the  old  one  or  the 
new  one?" 

The  King  of  Loch  Lein  looked  puzzled, 
but  he  answered  promptly : 

"Keep  the  old  one  by  all  means,  for  it 
will  fit  better  and  you  are  more  accus- 
tomed to  it." 

"I  thank  you  for  your  sound  advice," 
continued  the  Prince  with  a  smile.  ''Yel- 
low Lily,  the  daughter  of  the  Giant  of 
Loch  Lein,  is  the  old  key  to  my  heart,  and 
I  will  wed  no  other  girl.  Your  daughter, 
the  Princess,  is  the  new  key  that  has  never 
been  tried.  She  is  only  my  father's  guest, 
and  no  more;  but  she  will  be  better  for 
having  attended  my  happy  wedding  in 
Erin." 

Great  was  the  astonishment  of  both 
royal  families  and  their  guests  when  the 
[47] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

Prince  took  Yellow  Lily  by  the  hand  and 
led  her  to  a  seat  beside  him.  But  when 
the  musicians  began  to  play  a  brilliant  air, 
the  palace  re-echoed  from  tower  to  dun- 
geon with  joyous  shouts  of  "Long  live  the 
Prince  of  Erin  and  his  future  bride,  Yel- 
low Lily  of  Loch  LeinI" 


[48] 


THE  STOORWORM 

A  SCOTTISH  FAIRY  TALE 

Once  upon  a  time  there  lived  in  Scot- 
land a  farmer,  who  is  known  in  folk-lore 
as  the  "Goodman  of  Leegarth."  Al- 
though he  was  very  humble,  he  owned  a 
fertile  tract  of  land  in  a  valley  that  was 
watered  by  a  burn  and  sheltered  by  tow- 
ering hills.  His  wife  was  a  thrifty  and 
cleanly  dame,  who  helped  him  to  support 
a  family  of  eight  children,  seven  sons  and 
one  daughter. 

The  youngest  of  these  children  was  a 
boy  who  received  the  nickname  of  "Pat- 
tie."  Instead  of  being  the  favorite  of 
the  family,  he  was  abused  and  neglected. 
His  six  brothers  were  especially  cruel  to 
[49] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

him,  and  made  him  do  all  sorts  of  hard 
tasks.  They  beat  and  scolded  him  from 
morning  till  night,  although  he  was  a 
goodnatured  lad  who  never  did  any  one 
harm. 

Pattle  wore  the  ragged  garments  that 
had  been  thrown  away  by  his  older  broth- 
ers. Indeed  it  was  pitiful  to  see  him  run- 
ning like  a  wild  boy  across  the  stone 
bridges,  gathering  peats  for  the  fire,  or 
sweeping  the  kitchen  floor.  No  one  gave 
him  a  word  of  cheer  except  his  sister,  who 
was  one  day  rewarded  for  her  kindness  to 
him. 

One  day  the  Stoorworm  came  to  the 
coast  of  Scotland  and  turned  his  great 
mouth  towards  the  land,  yawning  fright- 
fully. The  Stoorworm  was  a  mammoth 
sea  serpent,  terrible  to  behold.  He  was 
so  long  that  he  reached  half  way  around 
the  world,  and  his  forked  tongue  was  hun- 

[50] 


THE  STOORWORM 

dreds  of  miles  in  length.  His  eyes 
glowed  like  fire,  and,  when  his  great,  hun- 
gry jaws  came  together,  they  made  a 
noise  that  shook  land  and  sea.  This 
great  monster  could  swallow  a  whole 
country  the  size  of  Scotland,  and  his  hot 
breath  could  kill  man  and  beast. 

The  people  of  Scotland  were  sorely  dis- 
tressed, for  they  knew  that  the  Stoor- 
worm  had  come  to  punish  some  terrible 
crime  that  had  been  committed  there,  and 
that  he  would  not  leave  until  the  person 
who  had  sinned  had  been  punished.  So 
they  stayed  inside  their  homes  and  pa- 
tiently awaited  the  time  when  the  sinful 
person  would  be  exposed  and  punished. 

In  truth,  the  Stoorworm  had  come  to 
Scotland  to  destroy  the  wicked  Queen; 
but  no  one  knew  it  at  that  time.  She  was 
a  selfish,  treacherous  woman  who  had  no 
respect    for    her   husband   or   her    step- 

[51] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

daughter;  but  she  was  so  deceitful  that 
she  made  every  one  think  that  she  loved 
them  devotedly. 

A  cruel  Sorcerer  came  to  the  court  one 
day  to  see  the  King.  Although  he  was 
an  ill-looking  creature,  with  a  long  beard 
and  crooked  limbs,  the  Queen  fell  in  love 
with  him,  and  plotted  with  him  to  over- 
throw her  husband,  that  they  might  rule 
Scotland  together.  So  it  was  not  much 
wonder  that  the  terrible  Stoorworm  had 
set  up  his  head  in  the  land,  for  when  the 
rulers  of  a  country  become  so  sinful,  it 
is  well  that  they  should  be  removed. 

One  morning  the  King  came  to  the 
house  of  the  Goodman  of  Leegarth. 
Pattle,  who  was  working  in  the  kitchen, 
saw  him;  but  his  mother  would  not  let 
him  go  into  the  room  where  the  King  was, 
saying  that  the  boy  was  too  dirty  to  meet 
royalty.     The  King  said  that  he  had  come 

r 


THE  STOORWORM 

to  Leegarth  to  take  the  only  daughter  of 
the  house  to  his  court. 

"I  have  a  daughter  named  Gemde- 
lovely,"  said  the  King.  **I  want  her  to 
have  a  true  and  trusty  attendant,  and  I 
have  been  told  that  your  daughter  is  one 
of  the  finest  girls  in  Scotland.  Prepare 
her  for  the  journey  and  I  shall  take  her 
back  with  me." 

The  farmer  and  his  wife  were  delighted 
when  they  learned  that  their  daughter  was 
to  be  a  maid  of  the  beautiful  Princess 
Gemdelovely.  The  mother  got  her  few 
dresses  and  packed  them  into  a  bundle  as 
quickly  as  possible.  The  goodman  made 
her  a  pair  of  rivlins,  or  rough  cow-hide 
sandals,  and  gave  them  to  the  girl.  She 
was  much  pleased,  for  rivlins  were  very 
fashionable  in  those  days. 

When  Pattle  bade  his  sister  good-by, 
he  burst  into  tears,  saying:  "Alas!  You 
[53] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

are  the  only  one  that  has  been  kind  to  me, 
and  now  you  are  to  be  taken  away." 

She  kissed  him  tenderly,  and  rode  away 
with  the  King,  while  poor  Pattle  returned 
to  the  kitchen  to  carry  out  the  ashes. 

But  the  King  was  sad  at  heart,  for  the 
Stoorworm  kept  reaching  out  his  long 
tongue  further  and  further,  and  he  knew 
that  something  must  be  done. 

One  evening  he  called  his  high  officials 
and  all  the  court  together.  In  the  midst 
of  their  conversation,  while  they  were 
planning  to  rid  the  country  of  the  sea 
monster,  the  Queen  came  in  and  said: 

"Ye  are  all  brave  men  and  brave  war- 
riors when  ye  have  only  men  to  face,  but 
now  ye  deal  with  a  foe  that  laughs  at 
your  strength,  and  before  him  your  wea- 
pons are  as  straw.  It  is  not  by  sword  or 
spear  but  by  the  power  of  sorcery  that  the 

[54] 


THE  STOORWORM 

monster  can  be  overcome.  Take  counsel 
with  the  great  Sorcerer  who  knoweth  all 
things,  for  wisdom  wins  where  strength 
fails." 

The  King,  who  never  had  liked  the  Sor- 
cerer, at  first  refused  to  give  him  a  hear- 
ing; but  the  pleadings  of  the  faithless 
Queen  were  finally  successful.  The  Sor- 
cerer was  called  before  the  King,  and  on 
bended  knee  he  said: 

"Indeed  this  is  a  great  question  and 
hard  to  answer,  but  I  will  give  counsel  in 
the  morning." 

At  the  appointed  hour  the  Sorcerer 
again  appeared  before  the  King  and  his 
court  and  said : 

"The  only  thing  to  do  to  save  Scotland 

is  to  feed  the  Stoorworm,  each  week,  seven 

of   the   most   beautiful   maidens   in   the 

land.     If  the  monster  be  not  satisfied  with 

[55] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

the  offering,  there  is  still  another  remedy; 
but  it  is  so  horrible  that  it  dare  not  be  ut- 
tered unless  the  first  plan  fails." 

The  King  and  his  court  were  filled  with 
grief,  but  the  wicked  Queen  was  happy. 
It  was  she  who  had  told  the  Sorcerer  to 
suggest  such  an  awful  plan,  for  she 
wanted  all  the  comely  maidens  destroyed 
that  she  might  be  considered  the  most 
beautiful  woman  in  the  land. 

But  as  the  Stoorworm  kept  throwing 
out  his  forked  tongue  further  and  fur- 
ther, withering  the  grass  and  the  foliage 
with  his  fiery  breath,  the  King  decided  to 
send  seven  beautiful  maidens  to  the  wa- 
ter's edge  every  Saturday,  to  be  swal- 
lowed by  the  monster.  Scotland  never 
before  or  since  has  been  so  sad  and  mis- 
erable. 

Pattle,  in  the  meantime,  was  much  wor- 
ried, for  he  feared  that  the  time  would 
[56] 


THE  STOORWORM 

come  when  his  beloved  sister  would  be  of- 
fered up  to  the  Stoorworm ;  but  he  pre- 
tended to  be  brave. 

"I  am  not  afraid,"  he  said  one  night  to 
his  eldest  brother.  "I  myself  would  will- 
ingly fight  the  hideous  monster." 

His  brother  gave  him  a  kick  and  told 
him  to  go  back  to  the  house  to  take  out 
the  ashes,  while  his  other  brothers  pelted 
him  with  stones,  declaring  that  he  was  the 
most  stupid  creature  that  ever  lived. 

On  the  same  evening  the  goodman's 
wife  sent  Pattle  to  the  barn  to  call  his 
brothers  to  supper.  They  threw  him 
upon  the  floor,  covered  him  with  straw, 
and  would  have  smothered  him,  had  not 
his  father  appeared  in  time. 

At  supper  the  farmer  rebuked  his  sons 
for  their  harsh  treatment  of  Pattle.     He 
said  that  if  they  wronged  him  again  he 
would  punish  them  severely. 
[57] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"You  needed  not  to  have  come  to  my 
help,  father,"  said  Pattle,  "for  I  could 
have  fought  them  all  and  would  have 
heaten  every  one  of  them,  if  I  had  wanted 
to  do  so." 

"Why  didn't  you  try?"  asked  the  good- 
man. 

"Because  I  wanted  to  save  my  strength, 
that  I  might  fight  the  Stoorworm,"  re- 
plied Pattle. 

At  this  the  entire  family  began  to  laugh 
scornfully,  and  the  father  said: 

"You'll  fight  the  Stoorworm  when  I 
make  spoons  from  the  horns  of  the 
moon." 

That  same  evening  the  King  called  his 
high  officials  and  all  the  court  before  him. 
Everyone  had  complained  because  of  the 
fate  that  threatened  all  the  beautiful  girls 
of  the  land,  and  the  hearts  of  the  people 

[58] 


THE  STOORWORM 


THE    king's    daughter    MUST    BE    GIVEX    TO    THE    STOORWOBM 


[59] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

were  crushed.  After  a  short  conversa- 
tion the  King  called  the  Sorcerer. 

"Woe!  woe!"  cried  the  King,  who  was 
bent  and  haggard.  "The  Stoorworm  is 
still  in  the  land.  Thou  hast  told  a  false- 
hood and  thy  head  shall  pay  for  it." 

"With  cruel  sorrow  do  I  say  it,  but 
there  is  only  one  more  remedy,"  replied 
the  Sorcerer,  groveling  upon  the  floor  at 
the  King's  feet.  "I  would  that  I  never 
had  lived  to  see  the  day  when  I  would  have 
to  tell  such  a  dire  remedy!  The  King's 
daughter,  the  Princess  Gemdelovely,  must 
be  given  to  the  Stoorworm.  Then  shall 
the  monster  leave  the  land!" 

"She  is  my  only  child!"  cried  the  King, 
trembling  and  turning  deathly  pale. 
"She  is  my  dearest  on  earth.  She  is  to  be 
my  heir.  Yet  if  her  death  can  save  my 
country,  let  her  be  offered  up  to  the  Stoor- 
worm. It  becomes  her  well  that  the  last 
[feo] 


THE  STOORWORM 

of  the  oldest  race  in  all  the  land  should  die 
for  the  welfare  of  the  people." 

*'If  the  monster  then  doth  not  disap- 
pear, the  Sorcerer  will  be  the  next  victim!" 
cried  one  of  the  high  officials. 

All  the  court  set  up  a  shout,  and  de- 
clared that,  if  the  plans  failed,  the  Sor- 
cerer would  not  live  to  make  another  one. 

The  King  then  asked  that  Gemdelovely 
be  permitted  to  remain  with  him  three 
weeks  longer.  He  forthwith  sent  messen- 
gers throughout  the  land  and  all  the 
neighboring  kingdoms,  proclaiming  that 
he  would  offer  his  daughter  in  marriage 
to  the  brave  man  that  would  free  Scotland 
from  the  Stoorworm. 

The  Queen,  who  had  laid  the  cruel  plan 
to  rid  herself  of  her  stepdaughter,  told 
the  Sorcerer  to  have  no  fear,  for  whatever 
fate  befell  him  she  would  share  it  with 
him. 

[61] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

It  is  said  that  thirty-six  great  warriors 
set  out  to  fight  the  Stoorworm  and  win 
the  beautiful  Princess  Gemdelovely;  but 
twelve  of  them  became  sick  at  the  mere 
sight  of  the  terrible  monster,  twelve  more 
were  so  much  frightened  that  they  fled 
to  other  lands,  and  the  remaining  twelve 
lingered  about  the  palace,  fearing  to  un- 
dertake the  task. 

On  the  night  before  the  Princess  Gem- 
delovely was  to  be  offered  up  to  the  Stoor- 
worm, the  King  gave  a  supper  in  his  pal- 
ace to  his  faithful  friends  and  compan- 
ions. When  they  had  all  gone  but  his 
chamberlain,  the  King  opened  the  great 
chest  on  which  he  had  been  sitting  and 
took  out  a  large  sword. 

"Why  take  that  sword  from  the  chest?" 
asked  the  chamberlain.  "Four  score  years 
will  be  it  to-morrow  since  thou  camest  into 
[62] 


THE  STOORWORM 

the  world,  and  many  a  brave  deed  hast 
thou  done  in  that  time;  but  thy  day  for 
fighting  is  over.  Let  the  sword  rest ;  thou 
art  too  old  to  wield  it  now." 

"Wheest !"  cried  the  King.  "Or  I'll  try 
my  strength  on  thy  body.  Thinkest  thou 
that  I,  a  descendant  of  the  great  god 
Odin,  would  see  my  bairn  devoured  by  a 
monster,  and  not  strike  a  blow  to  defend 
her?  This  sword  and  I  shall  perish  be- 
fore my  daughter  dies.  Hasten  thee  to 
the  shore  at  dawn;  prepare  my  boat  with 
masts  up ;  set  sail  ready  to  hoist,  with  her 
bow  seaward;  and  guard  her  till  I  come. 
It  is  the  last  service  thou  wilt  ever  do  for 
me — good-night,  old  comrade." 

Meanwhile  Pattle  lay  upon  his  rough, 
hard  bed,  pretending  to  be  asleep.     All 
the  time  he  was  thinking  of  the  great  curse 
[63] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

upon  the  land,  and  trying  to  make  a  plan 
to  drive  the  Stoorworm  from  the  Scottish 
shores. 

Finally  he  heard  his  father  and  mother 
talking  in  the  next  room;  he  could  not 
keep  from  listening  to  what  they  said. 

"Are  you  all  going  to  see  the  Princess 
Gemdelovely  offered  up  to  the  Stoor- 
worm to-morrow?"  asked  the  dame. 

"Indeed,  goodwife,  and  thou  wilt  go 
with  us,"  replied  the  goodman. 

"I  do  not  think  I  shall;  I  am  not  able 
to  walk,  and  I  do  not  care  to  ride  alone," 
said  the  dame  rather  peevishly. 

"Thou  needest  not  ride  alone.  I'll  take 
thee  behind  me  and  ride  on  Teetgong,  the 
fastest  horse  in  the  land,"  said  the  good- 
man. 

"Why  wouldst  thou  care  to  take  an  old 
wife  like  me  behind  thee  ?  The  people  will 
see  us  and  laugh  at  thee,"  said  the  dame. 

[64] 


THE  STOORWORM 

"Dost  thou  think  there  is  one  in  all 
the  world  I  would  rather  have  sit  behind 
me  than  my  own  wife?"  asked  the  good- 
man  tenderly. 

"I  do  not  know;  but  I  have  sometimes 
thought  that  thou  dost  not  love  me  as  thou 
shouldst,"  said  the  dame  with  a  sigh. 

"What  puts  such  notions  in  thy  head? 
Thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee  better  than 
anyone  on  earth.  What  did  I  ever  do  or 
say  to  make  thee  think  that  I  do  not  love 
thee?"  said  the  goodman. 

"It  is  not  what  thou  sayest,  but  what 
thou  wilt  not  say  that  makes  me  doubt 
thee,"  said  the  dame.  "For  four  years  I 
have  begged  thee  to  tell  me  why  Teetgong 
goes  so  fast,  and  thou  wilt  not  tell  me. 
I  might  as  well  ask  a  stone  wall." 

"I'll  tell  thee  the  whole  secret,"  said  the 
goodman  in  a  low  voice.  "When  I  want 
Teetgong  to  stand  still  I  clap  him  on  the 
[65] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

shoulder.  When  I  wish  to  ride  fairly  fast 
I  clap  him  twice  on  the  right  side.  When 
I  desire  him  to  go  at  full  speed  I  blow 
through  the  windpipe  of  a  goose.  I  keep 
the  windpipe  in  the  right-hand  pocket  of 
my  coat.  Now  complain  no  more,  for  I 
have  told  thee  all." 

Pattle  heard  every  word  that  was  spok- 
en, and,  as  soon  as  his  father  and  mother 
were  asleep,  he  stole  out  of  bed,  took  the 
goose's  windpipe  from  his  father's  coat, 
went  to  the  stable,  bridled  Teetgong,  and 
mounted  him. 

The  horse  began  to  prance  madly,  but 
Pattle  clapped  him  on  the  shoulder,  and 
he  stood  as  still  as  though  he  were  carved 
from  a  block  of  granite.  Then  he  clapped 
the  horse  twice  on  the  right  side,  and 
away  he  went;  but  the  horse  gave  a  loud 
neigh  that  awoke  the  goodman.  In  a  few 
minutes  he  and  his  six  oldest  sons  learned 
[66] 


/T     ^       OF  THE  *. 

"    UNIVERSITY    ) 

OF  / 

THE  STOORWORM 

that  Teetgong  had  been  stolen.  They 
mounted  their  horses  and  galloped  after 
Pattle  at  full  speed,  shouting,  "Stop, 
thief!    Stop,  thief!" 

Teetgong  heard  his  master's  voice  and 
stood  still.  Pattle  thought  that  he  would 
be  caught  and  beaten  within  an  inch  of 
his  life;  but  in  time  he  thought  of  the 
goose's  windpipe.  He  took  it  from  his 
pocket  and  blew  with  all  his  might.  Teet- 
gong hoisted  his  ears  and  flew  like  the 
wind.  The  goodman  and  his  sons  gave 
up  the  chase,  and  returned  to  Leegarth 
to  tell  the  constable. 

Pattle  did  not  clap  the  horse's  side  till 
he  came  to  the  seashore.  Then  he  tethered 
Teetgong  and  wandered  about  till  he 
came  to  a  humble  cottage.  An  old  wom- 
an was  inside,  fast  asleep  before  the  fire- 
place. He  took  an  iron  kettle,  filled  it 
with  peat  fire,  and  returned  to  the  shore. 
[67] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

Then  he  saw  the  King's  boat  afloat, 
fastened  to  a  big  stone  on  the  beach.  In 
the  boat  sat  a  man  who  was  to  watch  till 
the  King  came. 

"This  is  a  nippy  morning,  sir,"  said 
Pattle  politely. 

"Ay,  sir,"  replied  the  man  very  sleepily. 
"I've  sat  here  all  night  long  till  the  mar- 
row of  my  bones  is  frozen." 

"Why  don't  you  come  on  shore  and 
warm  yourself  at  my  fire?"  asked  Pattle. 

"Because  if  the  King's  chamberlain 
finds  me  out  of  the  boat,  he  will  kill  me," 
answered  the  man. 

Pattle  made  the  fire  in  the  kettle  burn 
brightly,  and  began  searching  for  clams. 
After  scraping  the  soil  for  some  time  he 
shouted : 

"My  stars  I  gold!  goldl  As  sure  as  I 
am  the  son  of  my  mother,  there's  gold  in 
this  earth  1" 

[68] 


THE  STOORWORM 

The  boatman  jumped  ashore,  and  be- 
gan to  dig  in  the  soil,  fairly  overthrowing 
Pattle.  But  Pattle  seized  the  kettle  of 
coals,  loosened  the  boat  rope,  jumped  into 
the  boat,  and  pushed  out  to  sea.  In  vain 
the  man  raved  and  threatened,  for  Pattle 
only  laughed  at  him  for  being  so  foolish, 
so  greedy,  and  so  negligent  of  his  duty. 

The  boy  hoisted  the  sail  and  made  for 
the  head  of  the  monster  Stoorworm.  The 
great  beast  was  asleep,  but  when  he  heard 
Pattle,  he  opened  his  fiery  eyes  and,  lift- 
ing his  head,  thrust  out  his  horrible 
tongue.  But  Pattle  was  braver  than  any- 
one that  had  ever  seen  the  Stoorworm. 
He  took  down  the  sail  and  let  the  boat 
drift. 

When  the  sun  came  up,  the  Stoorworm 
yawned  seven  times.    With  every  yawn  a 
tide  of  water  rushed  into  his  mouth;  and 
at  last  he  swallowed  the  boat. 
[69] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 


Pattle  thought  that  his  adventure  was 
at  an  end.    But  what  was  his  surprise  to 

find  that  he  was 
sailing  smoothly- 
down  the  big  throat 
of  the  monster  and 
that  all  about  him 
was  a  soft,  silvery- 
light.  On  and  on 
he  went,  steering  his 
boat  in  mid-stream, 
the  water  becoming 
more  and  more  shal- 
low all  the  time. 
At  last  the  keel  of 
the  boat  struck 
something,  which 
proved  to  be  the 
liver  of  the  Stoor- 
worm. 

Pattle    bored    a 


A     TIDE     OP     WATER     RUSHED 
INTO     1118     MOUTU 


[70] 


THE  STOORWORM 

great  hole  in  the  liver  and  emptied  the 
kettle  of  hot  coals  inside  of  it.  Soon  the 
flames  began  to  belch  forth,  and  Pattle 
hastened  back  to  the  boat.  With  great 
difficulty  he  made  his  way  up  the  stream 
to  the  mouth  of  the  monster.  But  the 
mast  snapped  in  twain;  and,  after  being 
tossed  about  till  he  was  unconscious,  Pat- 
tle was  thrown  upon  dry  land,  not  far 
from  where  he  had  stolen  the  boat. 

When  he  had  regained  his  senses,  he 
saw  that  a  vast  throng  of  people  had 
gathered  around  him,  including  the  King, 
his  beautiful  daughter  Gemdelovely,  and 
all  the  court  of  Scotland.  They  all  gave 
shouts  of  joy  when  he  opened  his  eyes  and 
stared  wonderingly  at  them. 

Then  a  horrible  thing  happened.    Great 

clouds  of  smoke  came  from  the  Stoor- 

worm's  mouth.     The  monster  rolled  his 

eyes  and  lolled  out  his  forked  tongue  in 

[71] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

terrible  agony,  roaring  like  all  the  winds 
of  the  oeean  together.  Some  historians 
say  that  he  shook  land  and  sea  and  caused 
the  moon  to  shift  several  inches. 

At  last  his  great  tongue  fell  to  the 
earth  and  cut  a  deep  gash,  making  the 
sea  that  divides  Denmark  from  Norway 
and  Sweden.  Then  he  drew  in  his  tongue 
and  shook  his  head,  again  causing  the 
world  to  tremble  and  change  about  as 
though  it  were  being  shattered  by  an 
earthquake.  Some  of  his  teeth  flew  out 
into  the  ocean,  where  they  became  the  Ork- 
ney Islands;  still  other  teeth  flew  out  and 
changed  into  the  Shetland  and  Faroe  Is- 
lands. Then  he  coiled  himself  into  a  solid, 
dead  mass,  and  became  what  is  now  known 
as  Iceland.  It  is  said  that  the  kettle  of 
peat  fire  still  burns  in  the  monster's  liver, 
and  that  is  what  causes  the  burning  moun- 
tains of  Iceland. 

[72] 


THE  STOORWORM 

When  the  Stoorworm  was  dead  and  his 
head  was  no  longer  turned  to  the  land, 
Pattle,  the  most  neglected  lad  in  all  the 
kingdom,  was  welcomed  as  the  great  de- 
liverer of  the  people.  The  King  took  him 
in  his  arms,  kissed  and  blessed  him,  and 
called  him  his  son,  the  future  King  of 
Scotland.  He  gave  him  the  magic  sword 
that  had  always  belonged  to  the  royal 
family  of  Scotland,  and  told  him  to  has- 
ten to  the  palace. 

Pattle  mounted  Teetgong  and  hastened 
away,  followed  by  the  people,  who 
shouted:  "Long  live  the  Prince  of  Scot- 
land, the  Destroyer  of  the  Stoorworm!" 

Never  before  had  he  known  what  peace 
was,  and  his  heart  seemed  to  be  bursting 
with  happiness,  especially  when  his  dear 
sister  came  running  from  the  palace  and 
fell  upon  his  bosom,  weeping  with  joy  and 
pride. 

[73] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

When  the  Princess  Gemdelovely  met 
Pattle  and  his  sister  on  the  terrace,  the 
latter  said  to  her: 

"Great  disgrace  as  well  as  honor  has 
fallen  upon  the  throne  of  Scotland  to- 
day. The  wicked  Sorcerer,  who  has  caused 
the  country  so  much  sorrow,  and  the 
Queen  of  Scotland  have  run  away  to- 
gether. They  left  the  palace  an  hour  ago ; 
but  they  were  so  frightened  that  they  can- 
not be  more  than  a  league  away." 

The  Princess  Gemdelovely  told  the 
King  what  had  happened,  and  he  was 
filled  with  rage. 

"So  it  was  the  wretched  Queen  and  the 
vile  Sorcerer  that  made  the  innocent  suf- 
fer !  Oh  that  I  had  a  man  that  could  ride 
fast  enough  to  overtake  theml" 

"I  will  go,"  said  Pattle,  and  without 
waiting  to  hear  another  word,  he  blew 
through  the  goose's  windpipe,  and  Teet- 
[74] 


THE  STOORWORM 

gong  dashed  away  with  all  his  might.  In 
a  few  minutes  Pattle  captured  the  Queen 
and  the  Sorcerer,  whose  horses  were  slow 
indeed  compared  with  Teetgong. 

The  Sorcerer  drew  his  sword  and  struck 
at  Pattle,  but  the  brave  lad  grasped  the 
magic  sword  the  King  had  given  him,  and 
slew  him. 

Then  he  seized  the  Queen  and  carried 
her  back  to  her  husband.  Before  the  King 
and  his  court  she  confessed  her  guilt  and 
begged  for  mercy. 

She  was  sent  to  the  tower  prison  to 
spend  the  rest  of  her  days ;  but  Pattle  was 
clothed  in  the  garments  of  a  prince,  and 
great  events  were  given  in  his  honor. 

When  he  was  married  to  the  beautiful 
Princess  Gemdelovely,  his  parents  and 
brothers,  in  their  best  clothes,  were  pres- 
ent. They  begged  him  to  forgive  them 
for  their  unkindness  to  him,  which  he  did; 
[75] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

but  he  said  that  next  to  his  wife  he  would 
cherish  his  sister,  because  she  had  been 
kind  to  him  when  he  was  a  poor,  neglected 
boy;  and  that  they  should  learn  never  to 
scorn  the  dullest  lad,  for  very  often  such 
boys,  by  making  the  most  of  opportuni- 
ties, become  the  greatest  men. 

It  is  further  recorded  that  Pattle  be- 
came King  of  Scotland  and  with  Gemde- 
lovely  ruled  for  many  happy,  prosperous 
years. 


[76] 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  PRINCE 

A  SCANDINAVIAN  FAIRY  TALE 

Norway,  Sweden,  Denmark,  Green- 
land, and  several  other  northern  countries, 
have  folk-lore  fairy  tales  that  are  as  ro- 
mantic and  imaginative  as  those  that  have 
been  preserved  in  warmer  and  more  po- 
etic lands. 

The  countries  now  known  as  Norway 
and  Sweden  were,  once  upon  a  time,  one 
big  territory  called  Scandinavia.  Al- 
though this  region  was  cold  and  not  thick- 
ly populated,  it  is  said  that  elves,  brown- 
ies, and  all  sorts  of  imaginary  beings, 
dwelt  there  in  great  numbers. 

A  poor  husbandman  with  a  large  family 
once  lived  close  to  a  pine  forest  in  the 
[77] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

northern  part  of  Scandinavia.  He  was 
so  poor  that  often  his  young  ones  had 
nothing  to  eat  but  porridge,  yet  they  were 
a  very  healthy,  happy  set  of  children. 

The  youngest  daughter  was  the  most 
beautiful  girl  in  all  the  land.  Her  auburn 
hair  and  big  gray  eyes  were  admired  by 
all  the  lads  in  her  neighborhood,  but  she 
would  give  her  heart  and  hand  to  no  one. 

"I  will  stay  at  home  to  cheer  my  par- 
ents when  all  my  brothers  and  sisters  are 
married,"  she  often  said. 

So  she  worked  about  the  house  from 
morning  till  night,  singing  and  making 
merry,  finally  earning  for  herself  the  nick- 
name of  "Cricket." 

One  Thursday  night  at  the  end  of  the 
year,  while  the  wind  was  blowing  and  the 
cold  rain  was  falling,  the  entire  family 
gathered  about  the  fireplace  to  spend  a 
comfortable  evening  together. 
[78] 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  PRINCE 

Cricket  was  about  to  sing  a  ballad  to 
please  her  father,  when  three  knocks 
sounded  upon  the  door. 

The  husbandman  went  to  see  who  the 
visitor  might  be.  He  could  see  no  one, 
so  he  stepped  outside  and  looked  all  about. 

"Good  evening,  sir,"  said  a  gruff  voice. 

Then  the  husbandman  beheld  a  great 
white  bear  with  eyes  that  shone  like  stars 
in  the  darkness. 

"Good  evening,"  he  replied,  not  much 
surprised;  for  in  those  days  the  wizards 
and  witches  and  fairy  godmothers  often 
bewitched  people  by  turning  them  into 
wild  animals. 

"If  you  will  give  me  your  youngest 
daughter,  I  will  make  you  so  rich  that  you 
cannot  count  your  gold,"  said  the  bear. 

"But  I  fear  you  might  eat  her,"  replied 
the  husbandman  who,  like  many  another, 
was  easily  affected  by  the  offer  of  money. 
[79] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"I  will  protect  and  cherish  her,  and  give 
her  the  finest  home  in  all  the  land,"  de- 
clared the  bear,  sitting  upon  his  haunches 
and  lifting  up  his  right  paw,  to  show  that 
his  vow  was  a  solemn  one. 

The  husbandman  returned  to  his  fam- 
ily and  told  them  what  had  happened. 
Cricket,  who  wanted  to  see  her  family- 
more  comfortable,  insisted  upon  going 
away  with  the  bear,  so,  in  spite  of  their 
protests,  she  gathered  up  her  few  ragged 
dresses,  and  wrapped  herself  in  a  big 
shawl. 

The  white  bear  danced  about,  much 
pleased,  and  said  that  he  felt  honored  that 
a  girl  so  beautiful  should  trust  him.  He 
told  her  to  get  upon  his  back  and  hold 
tight  to  his  shaggy  fur.  Then  he  hastened 
away  as  swiftly  as  though  she  were  only 
a  feather. 

At  last  they  came  to  a  hill  covered  with 

[80] 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  PRINCE 


THEN    HE    HASTENED    AWAY 


[81] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

clumps  of  cedar,  that  stood  in  the  heart 
of  the  great  forest.  With  his  heavy  paw 
he  struck  its  broad  side,  and  a  door  flew 
open. 

What  was  Cricket's  delight  to  find  her- 
self in  the  hall  of  a  gorgeous  castle,  bril- 
liantly lighted,  and  warmed  by  a  great 
marble  fireplace. 

At  first  the  girl  could  only  clasp  her 
hands  to  her  bosom  and  stare  with  all  her 
might.  She  was  afraid  to  move  lest  she 
would  awaken  from  a  dream. 

"On  the  mantel  over  the  fireplace  is  a 
silver  bell,"  said  the  bear.  **When  you 
think  of  anything  you  want,  ring  it  three 
times,  and  your  wish  will  be  granted.  I 
must  leave  you  now,  as  the  clock  is  about 
to  strike  twelve." 

The  bear  hurried  away,  leaving  Cricket 
to  entertain  herself.  With  the  curiosity 
of  a  healthy,  lively  girl  she  went  through 

[82] 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  PRINCE 

all  the  great  rooms  that  opened  into  the 
hall.  Never  had  she  dreamed  of  such 
splendor,  for  they  were  all  marble  and 
gold.  Dull  green  curtains  and  uphol- 
stery could  be  seen  in  one  room ;  the  next 
room  was  rose-colored;  the  third  one  was 
blue;  the  fourth  one  was  yellow;  and  the 
fifth  one  was  bright  red,  with  flame- 
red  poppies  in  big  vases  taller  than  her- 
self. 

In  another  room  was  a  table  set  with 
a  service  of  silver.  A  delicious  supper 
had  just  been  placed  there.  Cricket  was 
so  hungry  that  she  sat  down  and  ate  heart- 
ily. Then  she  went  back  to  the  fireplace 
in  the  great  hall,  and  sat  down  upon  a  big 
couch  covered  with  costly  furs. 

At  last  she  grew  sleepy,  although  at 
first  she  was  too  full  of  happiness  to  think 
of  going  to  bed. 

She  rang  the  silver  bell,  saying: 

[83] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"I  am  very  tired  and  should  like  to  en- 
joy a  long  rest." 

Instantly  a  door  at  the  end  of  the  hall 
flew  open,  and  a  stream  of  light  shone 
forth.  She  soon  found  herself  in  a  sleep- 
ing-room as  white  as  Scandinavia  in  mid- 
winter. The  httle  bed  was  half  concealed 
by  white  silk  curtains  trimmed  with  gold 
fringe.  The  pillows  and  sheets  were  of 
white  silk,  and  the  counterpane  was  made 
of  white  satin  embroidered  with  gold. 

That  night  she  was  awakened  from  her 
slumber  by  some  one  breathing  heavily 
in  the  next  room.  Again  filled  with  cu- 
riosity, she  unlocked  the  door  and  stepped 
out  into  the  hall.  The  next  door  to  hers 
was  half  open,  and  the  room  was  dimly 
hghted.  She  entered  softly,  and  parted 
the  curtains  that  hid  the  sleeper  from 
view. 

Then  her  heart  stopped  beating,  for 

[8i] 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  PRINCE 

she  saw  a  handsome  young  man  in  a  black 
court  costume  trimmed  with  gold,  lying 
upon  the  couch,  sound  asleep.  She  hur- 
ried away  as  fast  as  she  could,  fearing 
that  he  would  awaken. 

On  the  next  morning  the  bear  met  her 
as  she  came  from  her  room,  and  asked  her 
if  she  were  contented.  She  thanked  him 
for  his  kindness  to  her  and  talked  for  quite 
awhile;  but  she  did  not  ask  about  the 
young  man  in  the  next  room,  fearing  that 
she  would  betray  her  curiosity. 

Weeks  passed  by,  and  Cricket,  dressed 
in  rich  robes,  lived  in  the  castle  of  the  bear 
and  tried  to  be  happy.  She  often  read 
to  him  as  he  lay  stretched  out  before  the 
fireplace,  but  she  always  ate  alone,  and  at 
night  the  bear  disappeared.  Several  times 
before  dawn  she  tried  to  rouse  the  mys- 
terious young  man  in  the  next  room,  but 
not  even  the  most  terrible  peal  of  thunder 
[85] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

could  disturb  him.  She  became  more  and 
more  curious. 

But  at  last  Cricket  grew  homesick. 
One  morning  she  said  to  the  bear: 

"I  want  to  go  home  for  a  short  time 
to  visit  my  father  and  mother  and  broth- 
ers and  sisters.    Please  let  me  go." 

"You  may  go  for  a  few  days,  if  you 
will  make  me  one  promise,"  said  the 
bear. 

"What  is  it?"  she  asked. 

"Promise  me  that  you  will  not  let  your 
mother  speak  to  you  unless  some  one  else 
is  in  the  room,"  said  the  bear. 

"I  promise  you,"  said  Cricket,  some- 
what surprised. 

"If  you  do  not  keep  your  promise,  great 
sorrow  will  come  to  you  and  to  me  and  to 
all  your  people,"  said  the  bear. 

On  the  following  evening  she  prepared 
for  her  journey  and  again  mounted  the 
[86] 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  PRINCE 

bear,  her  little  white  hands  tightly  holding 
to  his  shaggy  coat. 

After  a  long  journey  through  the  blind- 
ing snow,  they  arrived  at  a  handsome 
house  that  stood  on  the  crest  of  a  hill. 

"This  is  not  the  place  1"  she  cried  in 
alarm. 

"Here  is  where  your  family  live  now,^' 
replied  the  bear.  "They  are  very  rich,  and 
own  all  the  land  for  miles  around." 

Cricket  jumped  from  the  bear's  back, 
happier  than  ever,  and  bade  her  compan- 
ion farewell. 

"If  you  do  not  keep  your  promise,  it 
will  be  a  sad  day  for  all  that  you  love," 
warned  the  bear.  "I  will  come  for  you  in 
a  week ;  be  prepared  to  go  back  with  me." 

The  husbandman  and  his  family  were 
delighted  to  see  Cricket  once  more.  The 
days  that  followed  were  never  forgotten 
by  any  of  them. 

[87] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

One  morning  Cricket's  mother  said  to 
her: 

"The  elves  have  told  me  that  some  day 
you  are  to  be  wed  to  a  Prince.  They  say 
that  he  has  been  sleeping  in  the  room  be- 
side your  own  in  the  bear's  castle. 

"Yes,  but  I  cannot  awaken  him,"  said 
Cricket,  her  heart  fluttering  wildly. 

"He  is  bewitched,"  continued  her 
mother.  "When  you  return  to  the  castle, 
go  to  see  him  in  the  night.  Kiss  him  upon 
the  brow,  and  he  will  awaken  from  his 
spell  and  claim  you  as  his  own." 

Cricket's  heart  beat  wilder  than  ever, 
as  she  realized  that  she  was  madly  in  love 
with  the  mysterious  Prince. 

Then  her  heart  stopped  beating,  when 
she  remembered  that  she  had  forgotten 
her  promise  to  the  bear. 

The  rest  of  her  visit  was  very  unhappy, 
for  Cricket  was  an  honest  girl  who  never 

[88] 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  PRINCE 

before  had  broken  a  promise.  When  the 
bear  came  after  her,  she  was  ashamed  to 
meet  his  gaze;  but  he  asked  her  no  ques- 
tions. 

The  first  night  after  her  return  to  the 
castle  in  the  forest,  she  arose  before  dawn 
and  entered  the  Prince's  sleeping-room. 
There  he  lay,  as  handsome  as  ever,  still 
dressed  in  his  black  and  gold  court  cos- 
tume. She  almost  cried  for  joy  at  the 
thought  of  seeing  him  open  his  eyes  and 
smile  upon  her.  She  bent  to  kiss  his  brow, 
but  at  the  same  time  three  drops  of  hot 
grease  fell  from  the  candle,  and  spattered 
his  garments. 

The  Prince  sat  up  in  bed  and  gazed  at 
her  in  horror  and  disgust. 

"What  have  you  done?"  he  cried.  "You 

have  not  kept  your  promise,  for  you  have 

been  talking  to  your  mother  when  no  one 

else  was  about.    Alas!  you  and  I  and  all 

[89] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

your  family  must  suffer.  It  is  as  wrong 
to  tell  a  falsehood  to  a  bear  as  it  is  to  tell 
one  to  a  Prince.*' 

"I  did  not  mean  to  tell  a  falsehood  to 
the  good  bear  who  has  been  so  kind  to  me," 
said  Cricket,  beginning  to  cry. 

"I  am  a  Prince,  and  I  have  loved  you 
ever  since  I  first  saw  you,"  continued  the 
young  man.  "I  once  lived  in  a  castle 
which  lies  East  o'  the  Sun  and  West  o' 
the  ]\Ioon,  but  my  stepmother  bewitched 
me  and  turned  me  into  a  bear  because  I 
refused  to  marry  a  homely  Princess  with 
a  nose  three  ells  long.  I  am  a  bear  in  the 
daytime,  and  at  midnight  I  change  into 
a  Prince.  If  you  had  waited  only  a  week 
longer,  the  spell  would  have  been  broken. 
Now  I  must  go  to  wed  the  Princess  Long- 
nose." 

"But  I  will  go  along,"  cried  Cricket, 
grasping  his  hand. 

[90] 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  PRINCE 

"You  cannot,"  said  the  Prince,  shaking 
his  head.    "We  must  part  now." 

"But  may  I  not  follow  you?"  asked  the 
poor  girl,  half  frantic  with  grief. 

"Yes,  but  you'll  never  find  the  place. 
Good-by,"  was  the  response. 

At  daybreak  Cricket,  instead  of  wak- 
ing in  her  own  snug  room,  found  herself 
in  the  forest  upon  a  bed  of  moss,  her  head 
pillowed  upon  her  bundle  of  ragged 
dresses. 

She  at  once  set  out  to  find  the  Prince, 
and  had  wandered  many  miles  through 
forest  and  moor,  when  she  reached  the 
hut  of  an  old  woman  who  was  sitting 
at  the  door  playing  with  a  golden 
apple. 

"Please  tell  me,  good  woman,  where  I 

may  find  the  castle  that  lies  East  o'  the 

Sun  and  West  o'  the  Moon,"  begged  the 

girl.    "I  want  to  see  the  Prince  who  is  to 

[91] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

marry  a  Princess  with  a  nose  three  ells 
long." 

"Indeed,  I  do  not  know,"  replied  the 
woman;  "but  if  you  carry  this  golden 
apple,  you  may  come  to  another  woman 
that  can  tell  you." 

Cricket  wandered  on  till  she  came  to 
another  hut,  where  an  old  woman  sat  at 
the  door  playing  with  a  golden  carding- 
comb.  Cricket  told  her  what  she  was  seek- 
ing and  begged  her  advice. 

The  woman  replied : 

"Indeed,  I  do  not  know  where  the  castle 
that  lies  East  o'  the  Sun  and  West  o' 
the  Moon  is  situated;  but  if  you 
take  this  comb  and  keep  straight  on,  you 
may   come   to   a   woman   that   can   tell 

you." 

On  the  next  day  Cricket  came  to  an- 
other hut,  in  which  sat  an  old  woman  play- 
ing with  a  small  golden  spinning  wheel. 
[92] 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  PRINCE 

She  told  her  what  she  wanted  and  begged 
her  to  assist  her. 

"Indeed,  I  do  not  know  where  the  cas- 
tle that  lies  East  o'  the  Sun  and  West  o' 
the  Moon  is  situated ;  but,  if  you  will  take 
this  spinning  wheel,  you  may  come  to  one 
that  can  tell  you." 

But  Cricket's  wanderings  were  not  half 
over  yet,  for  she  stopped  at  the  house  of 
the  East  Wind,  a  big,  gruff  ogre,  who 
carried  her  on  his  back  to  his  brother,  the 
West  Wind.  The  West  Wind  carried 
her  to  the  South  Wind,  and  the  South 
Wind  carried  her  to  his  oldest  brother, 
the  North  Wind. 

"I  think  I  know  where  the  castle  is,  for 
once  I  blew  an  aspen  leaf  there,"  said  the 
North  Wind,  swelhng  pompously.  "None 
of  my  brothers  have  ever  blown  their 
breaths  so  far.  Get  on  my  back  and  hold 
tight." 

[93] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

The  North  Wind  began  to  swell  until 
he  looked  like  a  great  balloon,  and  soon 
they  were  hundreds  of  feet  above  the 
earth,  sailing  fleetly  towards  the  north 
pole.  Below  them  a  storm  was  raging 
that  destroyed  ships  and  houses.  But 
Cricket  did  not  fear  anything,  so  anxious 
was  she  to  see  the  Prince. 

At  last  the  North  Wind  began  to  sink 
lower  and  lower,  as  though  he  were  losing 
his  breath,  until  the  crests  of  the  waves 
touched  the  soles  of  her  feet.  Then  he 
threw  Cricket  on  shore,  right  under  one  of 
the  windows  of  the  castle  that  lies  East  o' 
the  Sun  and  West  o'  the  Moon. 

Cricket  began  to  play  with  the  golden 
apple. 

"What  do  you  want  for  that  pretty 
apple?"  asked  a  shrill,  cracked  voice. 

The  girl  turned  and  saw  a  long  nose 
sticking  out  of  the  window  overhead. 
[94] 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  PRINCE 


She     could 
hardly    keep 
from     laughing 
when    she    saw    the 
Princess  Long-nose. 

"Silver  or  gold 
will  not  buy  it," 
said  Cricket;  "but  if 
you  will  take  me  to 
see  the  Prince,  you 
may  have  it." 

At  dusk  the  Prin- 
cess took  Cricket  in- 
to the  castle  and  led 
her  into  the  Prince's 


SILVER    OR    GOLD    WILL    NOT 
[  95  ]  BUY  IT 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

room.  He  was  asleep,  as  usual,  and  al- 
though Cricket  called  him  loudly,  he  did 
not  hear  her,  for  the  Princess  Long-nose 
had  given  him  a  sleeping  potion. 

Before  she  could  give  up  in  despair, 
the  Princess  took  her  by  the  shoulders  and 
thrust  her  out  of  the  castle. 

The  next  day  she  told  the  Princess  that 
she  would  give  her  the  gold  comb,  if  she 
would  let  her  see  the  Prince  again.  The 
Princess  Long-nose  consented;  but  the 
same  disappointment  met  poor  Cricket, 
who  shouted  and  shook  the  Prince  in  vain. 

The  next  day  Cricket  offered  the  Prin- 
cess Long-nose  the  golden  spinning  wheel, 
if  she  would  let  her  see  the  Prince  for  the 
last  time.  The  Princess,  with  a  mocking 
laugh,  agreed  to  oblige  her  as  before. 

But  some  prisoners  that  had  been 
thrown  in  the  castle  dungeon  by  the 
Prince's  wicked  step-mother,  told  him  that 
[96] 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  PRINCE 

a  beautiful  young  maiden  for  two  nights 
had  been  trying  to  awaken  him,  without 
success.  So  when  the  Princess  Long- 
nose  gave  him  a  sleeping  potion  that 
night,  he  pretended  to  drink  it,  but,  in 
truth,  poured  it  out  of  the  window. 

What  was  the  delight  of  Cricket  to  find 
the  Prince  wide  awake  and  smiling,  when 
she  went  into  his  room  on  the  third  night. 

"You  came  just  in  time,"  cried  the 
Prince  joyfully,  "for  I  was  to  have  mar- 
ried the  Princess  Long-nose  to-morrow. 
The  fairies  say  that  I  shall  be  freed  from 
the  spell  my  stepmother  has  thrown  over 
me,  when  I  marry  the  girl  of  my  choice. 
How  happy  am  I  that  you  came  to  rescue 
me  from  the  castle  that  lies  East  o'  the 
Sun  and  West  o'  the  Moon!" 

Some  folk  lore  writers  tell  of  many 
other  things  that  happened  before  the 
Prince  won  Cricket  for  his  wife;  but 
[97] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

doubtless,  by  this  time,  you  would  be  more 
interested  to  learn  what  became  of  them. 
The  Prince  married  Cricket  and  es- 
caped from  the  castle  on  the  next  day. 
The  North  Wind  carried  them  back  to 
Scandinavia,  where  they  sought  their 
lovely  home  in  the  centre  of  the  great  for- 
est. The  Prince's  step-mother,  it  is  said, 
was  so  enraged  at  the  failure  of  her  plans 
that  she  bursted  into  a  million  pieces; 
while  the  Princess  Long-nose  took  to  run- 
ning at  the  top  of  her  speed,  through  val- 
ley and  over  mountain,  and  may  be  run- 
ning yet,  for  all  I  know. 


[98] 


TWO  MOQUI  HEROES 

AN  AMERICAN  FAIRY  TALE 

A  LONG  time  ago,  when  there  were  no 
white  people  in  the  United  States,  the 
Moqui  Indians  lived  on  a  green,  grassy 
mesa  in  the  Great  West.  They  were  a 
rich  and  powerful  nation,  very  kind  to 
one  another,  although  they  fought  their 
foes  with  a  strength  and  skill  that  could 
not  be  excelled  by  any  other  tribe. 

They  owned  all  the  country  from  the 
mountains  to  the  Great  River,  and  within 
this  vast  territory  were  an  abundance  of 
buffaloes,  deer,  fish,  and  other  varieties 
of  food  that  Indians  like.  They  were  a 
thrifty  and  progressive  nation,  and  lived 
in  wigwams  that  in  winter  were  snugly 
lined  with  the  skins  of  wild  animals. 
[99] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

This  ancient  race  of  Indians  have  trans- 
mitted to  us  some  of  the  oldest  folk-lore 
stories  in  the  world, — fairy  tales  that  were 
old  before  Christopher  Columbus  discov- 
ered America.  Many,  many  years  ago, 
the  little  Indian  children,  scattered  all  over 
the  continent,  listened  with  breathless  in- 
terest to  the  tales  of  two  great  Moqui 
braves;  for  Indian  children  love  romantic 
stories  about  ogres  and  giants  and  deeds 
of  magic  quite  as  well  as  we  do. 

The  names  of  these  two  Moqui  heroes 
were  White  Corn  and  Lolomi.  White 
Corn  had  a  very  long  Indian  name,  which 
no  one  who  is  wise  would  try  to  pro- 
nounce, so  modern  story-tellers  have  trans- 
lated it  into  English. 

These  lads  were  great  friends.  Lolomi, 
above  all  things  else,  desired  to  be  strong 
and  brave,  and  to  do  mighty  deeds  that 
would  benefit  his  race.  On  the  other  hand, 

[100] 


TWO  MOQUI  HEROES 

White  Corn  desired  to  be  a  learned  man, 
that  he  might  instruct  and  civilize  his  peo- 
ple. If  you  will  closely  follow  this  story, 
you  will  see  how  both  of  them,  because  of 
their  willingness  to  overcome  all  obstac- 
les, attained  what  they  most  desired. 

White  Corn  was  the  youngest  of  seven 
bachelor  brothers,  who  were  all  brave  and 
good  men.  They  lived  in  a  large  log 
house  at  the  edge  of  the  great  mesa,  and 
were  as  comfortable  and  happy  as  they 
could  be.  The  names  of  the  six  older 
brothers  were  Red  Corn,  Blue  Corn,  Yel- 
low Corn,  Black  Corn,  Green  Corn,  and 
Spotted  Corn. 

One  day  they  decided  that  White  Com 
must  seek  him  a  wife,  for  they  had  be- 
come quite  vexed  because  their  friends 
ridiculed  them  for  not  getting  married. 

White  Corn  did  not  wish  to  marry  a 
Moqui  maiden,  so  he  made  up  his  mind 

[101] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

to  travel  in  search  of  a  wife, — one  that 
would  be  wise  enough  to  help  him  educate 
liis  people. 

Before  setting  out  upon  his  journey,  he 
went  down  to  a  beautiful  stream  near  his 
home,  and  called  upon  Daw-wa,  the  Sun 
Chief. 

"Oh  Daw-wa,  Father!"  he  cried,  beat- 
ing his  breast,  as  was  the  custom  when 
the  Sun  Chief  was  invoked.  "I  have  been 
sent  from  home,  and  my  heart  is  breaking, 
I  am  weary.  Father ;  I  pray  thee  give  me 
rest.  Give  me  a  home  where  my  heart  will 
once  more  be  filled  with  the  joyous  song 
of  the  lark,  and  not  with  the  sad  song  of 
the  dove.  Let  me  find  wisdom,  that  I  may 
enlighten  my  people." 

Daw-wa  appeared  at  once,  and  said: 

"Do  as  I  bid  thee,  my  son,  and  thou 
shalt  be  rewarded.  Set  out  upon  thy 
journey,  ever  keeping  thy  face  turned  to- 

[102] 


TWO  MOQUI  HEROES 

wards  me.  Take  with  thee  these  four 
plume-sticks  and  this  bag  of  magic  meal 
that  I  have  brought.  Ere  long  thou  wilt 
come  to  a  great  lake.  At  its  border  thou 
wilt  find  some  roots  and  herbs,  which  thou 
must  eat;  they  will  stay  thy  hunger  for 
many  days.  Tie  the  four  plume-sticks  to- 
gether and  place  them  upon  the  water. 
Get  aboard  the  raft  that  will  appear,  and, 
at  the  end  of  four  days,  sail  away.  Do 
not  set  thy  foot  upon  land  until  Wapa, 
the  Great  Serpent,  shall  bid  thee." 

White  Corn  bowed  low,  took  the  plume- 
sticks  and  the  sack  of  magic  meal,  and 
returned  to  his  home.  When  all  his  broth- 
ers had  gone,  he  set  forth  on  his  journey, 
following  the  sun  in  the  Great  West. 

For  several  days  he  tramped  wearily 
along,  until  he  reached  the  lake,  of  which 
Daw-wa  had  spoken.  He  dug  up  the 
roots  and  herbs  that  grew  close  to  its 

[103] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

brink,  and  ate  them.  Then  he  tied  four 
plume-sticks  together  and  placed  them 
upon  the  water.  In  the  wink  of  an  eye 
they  changed  into  a  raft  sheltered  by  a 
canopy  of  feathers. 

White  Corn  was  delighted  with  the 
beautiful  vessel,  but,  as  Daw-wa  had  re- 
quested, he  did  not  continue  his  journey 
until  four  days  had  passed  away.  Then 
he  sprang  aboard,  and  the  raft  began  to 
move  swiftly  and  smoothly.  To  White 
Corn  it  was  a  wonderful  craft,  for  he  had 
never  seen  one  that  could  move  without 
the  assistance  of  oars. 

For  several  days  he  traveled,  feeling 
neither  hunger  nor  fatigue.  One  day  at 
sunset  a  buzzard  lit  upon  the  raft,  and 
flapped  its  wings  three  times. 

"Be  not  afraid  of  anything  that  thou 
wilt  see,  brave  Son  of  the  Moquis,"  said 
the  bird,    "I  have  come  from  the  land  of 

[104] 


TWO  MOQUI  HEROES 

the  Great  Serpent  to  warn  thee  to  be 
brave." 

Having  dehvered  its  message,  the  buz- 
zard flew  away  to  the  west,  leaving  White 
Corn  more  curious  and  anxious  than  be- 
fore, yet  very  glad  that  he  was  to  meet 
the  Great  Serpent;  for  Indians  always 
regarded  the  serpent  as  the  emblem  of 
wisdom. 

A  few  days  later  the  raft  began  to  rock 
as  though  it  were  in  a  great  storm.  White 
Corn  was  beginning  to  get  seasick,  when, 
suddenly,  the  vessel  was  thrown  high  in 
the  air,  and  fell  to  the  earth  close  to  the 
edge  of  the  water.  To  his  amazement  the 
raft  began  to  get  smaller  and  smaller  un- 
til it  changed  into  the  plume-sticks  that 
Daw-wa  had  given  him. 

White  Corn  picked  them  up,  and  wan- 
dered away  towards  the  sun,  without  any 
thought  of  giving  up  the  long  journey. 

[105] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

Although  the  little  Indian  children  were 
fond  of  romance  and  mystery,  they  liked 
humor,  too,  as  is  shown  in  this  strange  tale 
after  White  Corn  leaves  the  raft;  for  he 
came  face  to  face  with  a  queer  old  man 
that  carried  a  crook. 

"Good  morning,"  said  White  Corn 
pleasantly. 

But  the  old  man  only  bounded  up  and 
down  like  a  jumping- jack,  and,  quick  as 
a  wink,  fastened  his  crook  about  White 
Corn's  neck.  Then  he  started  on  a  brisk 
run,  pulling  White  Corn  after  him.  The 
poor  boy  never  had  known  that  an  old  man 
could  run  so  fast ;  but  he  did  not  complain, 
although  his  neck  felt  as  though  it  would 
break. 

They  had  run  fully  a  hundred  miles 

without  stopping  to  take  a  breath,  when 

an  unusual  thing  happened.     Although 

the  sun  was  shining  brightly,  a  bolt  of 

[106] 


TWO  MOQUI  HEROES 

lightning  came  from  the  sky  and  struck 
the  old  man.  He  fell  in  a  heap.  For  a 
moment  White  Corn  was  glad  of  it  and, 
clutching  his  plume-sticks  and  sack  of 
magic  meal,  he  started  to  run  away,  with- 
out waiting  to  see  if  his  companion  were 
killed. 

When  he  had  run  a  hundred  feet  or 
more,  he  looked  back  and  saw  that  the  old 
man  was  sitting  up,  fumbling  with  the  few 
hairs  on  the  top  of  his  head ;  then  he  began 
to  motion  for  White  Corn  to  come  back. 
When  the  lad  reached  the  queer  creature's 
side,  he,  for  the  first  time,  perceived  that 
the  old  man  had  neither  a  mouth  nor  a 
nose. 

"Take  the  black  stone  that  lies  yonder 
and  make  a  mouth  for  your  guide,"  said 
the  buzzard,  who  had  alighted  on  the 
bough  of  a  tree  near  by. 

White  Corn  picked  up  the  black  stone 
[107] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

and  slashed  the  old  man's  face,  making  a 
crooked  mouth  that  grinned  in  a  most 
ghastly  manner. 

"How  nice  it  is  to  be  able  to  talk!"  cried 
the  old  man,  and  then  he  began  to  giggle 
and  laugh  and  scream  until  White  Corn 
was  sorry  he  had  made  a  mouth  for  him. 

Placing  his  arm  about  White  Corn's 
waist,  he  began  to  run  as  hard  as  he  could, 
all  the  time  singing  silly  songs  and  laugh- 
ing at  the  top  of  his  voice.  At  last  they 
reached  a  stream  where  another  queer 
thing  happened.  Suddenly  the  old  man 
stood  still;  then  he  began  to  shout  at  the 
top  of  his  voice  again,  all  the  time  grow- 
ing smaller  until  at  last  he  floated  away 
and  disappeared  like  a  piece  of  paper  that 
has  been  burned  in  a  bon-fire. 

White  Corn  was  very  glad  to  be  rid  of 
him,  and  vowed  that  never  again  would 
he  make  a  mouth  for  any  person.     He 

[108] 


TWO  MOQUI  HEROES 

took  the  sack  of  magic  meal  and  sprinkled 
it  upon  the  water. 

Almost  immediately  a  serpent  crawled 
from  the  bushes  and  held  up  its  head. 
White  Corn  was  not  afraid  of  snakes,  and 
this  one  was  so  beautiful,  he  stood  agape 
in  admiration,  for  it  was  covered  with  dia- 
monds, emeralds,  garnets,  and  sapphires. 

"Who  are  you,  and  where  are  you  go- 
ing?" asked  the  serpent. 

"I  am  White  Corn,  a  Moqui  brave,  and 
I  have  been  sent  by  Daw-wa  to  the  land  of 
the  Serpent  to  gain  a  wife  and  great  wis- 
dom." 

"Perhaps  it  would  be  better  for  you  to 
gain  wisdom  before  you  gain  a  wife," 
said  the  serpent  with  an  expression  on  its 
face  that  looked  like  a  smile. 

"I  am  not  particular  as  to  that,"  said 
White  Corn. 

"Then  follow  my  advice,"  resumed  the 
[  109  ] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

serpent.  "Tie  your  plume-sticks  together 
and  place  them  upon  the  water.  They 
will  be  transformed  by  Daw-wa  into  a 
raft.  Get  aboard  the  raft  and  remain 
thereon  till  the  fourth  day.  Then  some- 
thing will  happen  that  will  please  you." 

The  serpent  disappeared,  and  White 
Corn  tied  the  plume-sticks  together  and 
placed  them  upon  the  water.  Again  they 
were  changed  into  a  raft  with  a  canopy 
of  plumes.  He  sprang  aboard,  and  be- 
gan to  sail  up  the  stream  so  swiftly  that 
the  stars  looked  like  long,  narrow  streaks 
of  fire. 

On  the  fourth  day  he  saw  a  black  rock 
jutting  out  over  the  stream.  Just  as  he 
was  about  to  pass  it  by,  the  waters  began 
to  roar,  and  finally  tossed  the  boat  on  its 
summit.  Again  the  raft  turned  into 
plume-sticks,  which  White  Corn  placed  in 
his  belt.  He  was  much  shaken  by  the  fall, 
[no] 


TWO  MOQUI  HEROES 

but  he  was  still  determined  to  go  straight 
ahead. 

At  sunrise  on  the  next  day  another  ser- 
pent, larger  and  more  beautiful  than  the 
first  one,  crawled  from  the  rock. 

"Who  are  you,  and  where  are  you  go- 
ing?" it  said. 

"I  am  searching  for  the  land  of  the 
Great  Serpent,  that  I  may  gain  wisdom 
and — a  wife,"  replied  the  lad, 

"You  are  already  in  the  land  of  the 
Great  Serpent,"  repUed  the  reptile.  "I 
am  the  Great  Serpent,  and  I  will  give  you 
the  knowledge  you  crave." 

It  is  recorded  that  the  snake  told  White 
Corn  all  about  the  heavenly  bodies,  the 
winds,  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  all 
things  that  in  those  days  made  men  wise. 

"Now  you  are  prepared  to  commune 
with  the  Great  Chief,"  said  the  serpent, 
when  the  lessons  were  finished. 
[Ill] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 


I    AM    THE   (iHKAT   SERPENT 


[112] 


TWO  MOQUI  HEROES 

At  that  moment  the  great  black  rock 
upon  which  the  Indian  brave  was  stand- 
ing, flew  apart.  White  Corn  felt  himself 
sinking, — down,  down,  down,  into  a  pit 
of  ebony  blackness.  Soon  he  found  him- 
self in  a  great  tunnel.  He  saw  a  bright 
light  shining  in  the  distance,  and  slowly 
plodded  along  to  reach  it.  Behind  him 
the  rocks  kept  falling,  as  if  to  keep  him 
from  returning.  They  made  a  sound  that 
reminded  him  of  mighty  thunder. 

When  the  beautiful  ruby  light  in  the 
distance  could  be  plainly  seen,  sweet 
music  fell  upon  his  ears.  He  hastened 
his  tired  footsteps,  his  heart  beating  with 
expectation.  All  about  him  streams  of 
liquid  light  bubbled  forth  from  the  rocky 
walls,  and  crystal  fruits  sparkled  upon  the 
avenue  of  trees  through  which  he  found 
himself  passing. 

Presently  he  saw  a  host  of  men  and 

[113] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

maidens  clad  in  sunbeams  and  moon- 
beams, dancing  about  the  throne  of  an  old 
man  with  long  white  hair.  Upon  his  brow 
rested  a  coronet,  from  which  a  large  red 
ruby  sent  out  a  flood  of  dazzling  rays  that 
lighted  the  great  cavern.  A  bevy  of 
graceful  girls,  dressed  in  fleecy  clouds 
sparkling  with  the  beams  of  stars  and  the 
spray  of  dashing  waves,  came  tripping 
forth  to  meet  White  Corn  and  conduct 
him  to  the  Great  Chief. 

"My  children  and  I  have  been  waiting 
for  thee  a  long  time.  White  Corn  of  the 
Moquis,"  said  the  Great  Chief.  "We  are 
the  sons  and  daughters  of  Knowledge, 
and  here  we  are  forced  to  abide  until  the 
tribes  of  the  Earth  are  ready  to  receive 
us.  Come  and  make  merry  with  us. 
What  wouldst  thou  have?" 

"O  Great  Chief — I  want  a  wife  to  help 

[114] 


TWO  MOQUI  HEROES 

me    enjoy   my    happiness,"    said   White 
Corn. 

All  the  maidens  began  to  laugh,  while 
the  music  grew  softer  and  sweeter,  and 
the  waters  of  the  streams  and  fountains 
turned  to  sunset  golden. 

"Take  thy  choice,"  said  the  Great  Chief 
kindly. 

"Any  of  them  will  do — it  is  thou  that 
must  choose  for  me,"  faltered  White 
Corn. 

The  Great  Chief  reached  behind  him 
and  seized  a  cloud  that  was  passing  by. 
When  the  light  of  the  great  ruby  fell 
upon  it,  it  changed  into  the  loveliest  In- 
dian maiden  that  White  Corn  had  ever 
seen.  Her  hair  was  as  black  as  the  crow's 
wing,  her  cheeks  were  like  the  red  haw, 
her  smile  glowed  like  the  eastern  sky  at 
dawn;  but  more  apparent  than  all  other 

[115] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

charms  were  her  eyes  that  shone  hke  beau- 
tiful stars. 

"She  is  mine!"  cried  White  Corn  rap- 
turously as  he  threw  out  his  arms.  "She 
is  the  maid  of  my  choice,  and  she  shall  be 
called  Bright  Eyes!" 

But  meanwhile  the  land  of  the  ISIoquis 
was  smitten  sore.  While  all  the  tribe 
were  wondering  what  had  become  of 
White  Corn,  a  score  of  Giants  stole  from 
the  great  mountains  and  began  to  destroy 
the  property  of  the  wonderful  people  that 
had  never  been  conquered. 

Now  was  the  time  for  Lolomi,  White 
Corn's  dearest  friend,  to  do  brave  acts 
that  would  win  for  him  a  high  station  and 
the  realization  of  all  his  youthful  dreams. 
He  was  made  all  the  more  desirous  of 
being  great  by  the  scornful  taunting  of 
[116] 


TWO  MOQUI  HEROES 

a  beautiful  Moqui  maiden  whose  name 
was  Rosy  Dawn. 

In  vain  he  had  pleaded  for  her  hand, 
but  each  time  she  had  said : 

"When  thou  hast  become  great,  so  that 
I  may  be  proud  of  thee,  then  will  I  be- 
come thy  wife;  but  it  is  not  well  that  the 
daughter  of  the  rich  and  powerful  Roar- 
ing River  should  be  wed  to  one  whose 
bravery  has  never  been  tested." 

Every  morning  the  Giants  would  come 
down  from  the  mountains  and  peep  across 
the  vast  tableland  where  the  Moquis  dwelt. 
Then  they  would  reach  out  their  big 
hands  and  steal  horses  and  cattle,  roaring 
all  the  time  with  a  volume  that  shook  the 
mountains.  At  last  they  said  the  time 
would  come  when  they  would  run  across 
the  mesa  and  trample  all  the  JNIoquis  as 
though  they  were  red  ants. 
[117] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

The  King  of  the  tribe  offered  in  mar- 
riage the  handsomest  maiden  in  the  land, 
and  a  thousand  horses  to  the  man  who 
would  deliver  his  people  from  the  Giants. 

Lolomi's  heart  beat  high  with  courage, 
only  to  sink  with  despair,  when  he 
realized  what  a  toy  he  was  in  comparison 
with  the  Giants ;  but  he  made  up  his  mind 
that  he  would  die  fighting  rather  than 
give  up  Rosy  Dawn. 

One  morning  as  he  was  walking  about 
the  outskirts  of  the  mesa,  he  saw  a  horned 
toad  lying  by  a  rock,  struggling  as  if  in 
pain.  The  Moquis  were  kind  to  toads  as 
well  as  to  snakes,  so,  even  in  the  midst  of 
his  grave  unrest,  he  stopped  to  see  if  he 
could  not  relieve  the  poor  creature. 

As  he  bent  down  to  pick  it  up,  he  was 
surprised  to  hear  it  say  these  words  in  his 
own  language: 

"Dost  thou  wish  to  destroy  the  Giants?" 

[118] 


TWO  MOQUI  HEROES 

"Yes, — above  all  things  else  on  earth," 
replied  Lolomi  in  surprise. 

"I  am  going  to  die  soon,"  continued  the 
toad,  rolling  its  eyes  about  and  breathing 
heavily.  "When  I  am  dead,  put  on  my 
crest  and  breastplate,  and  pull  the  scales 
from  my  eyes.  Thou  wilt  then  be  pre- 
pared to  guard  the  land  of  the  Moquis 
and  to  fight  the  Giants.  Take  thy  sta- 
tion at  this  point.  When  a  Giant  steps 
across  thy  borders,  advance  slowly  to- 
wards him,  looking  him  straight  in  the 
eye.  The  man  who  cannot  squarely  eye 
his  enemy  is  a  coward.  The  Giant  will 
walk  backwards,  unable  to  take  his  eyes 
from  thee.  Keep  steadily  advancing. 
When  he  reaches  the  edge  of  the  table- 
land, he  will  fall  off  and  be  killed.  If 
thou  keepest  close  watch,  and  are  brave, 
Lolomi,  every  Giant  will  meet  a  similar 
fate." 

[119] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

When  the  toad  was  dead,  Lolomi  took 
off  its  crest  and  placed  it  upon  his  head. 
The  crest  began  to  grow  larger  and 
thicker.  It  reached  his  shoulders,  leav- 
ing tiny  openings  through  which  he 
could  see  and  breathe.  It  was  so  strong 
that  the  sharpest  weapon  could  not  cut  it 
open.  Then  he  put  on  the  breastplate, 
which  was  no  bigger  than  his  thumb-nail. 
It  began  to  grow  larger  and  larger  until 
it  covered  him  all  over  like  a  suit  of  ar- 
mor. When  Lolomi  pulled  the  scales 
from  the  eyes  of  the  toad,  he  felt  as  light 
as  a  feather  and  as  brave  as  a  lion. 

No  sooner  was  he  prepared  for  battle 
than  a  Giant  peered  over  the  tableland, 
and  with  a  loud  shout  that  roused  all  the 
Moquis,  he  leapt  up  and  began  to  ad- 
vance, taking  strides  a  half  mile  in  length. 

When  the  Giant  saw  Lolomi,  he  threw 
a  large  spear  that  struck  his  foe's  breast- 

[120] 


TWO  MOQUI  HEROES 

plate,  but  glanced  harmlessly  off.  He 
threw  another,  which  bounded  back  from 
Lolomi's  breastplate  and  struck  the  giant 
upon  the  knee.  He  gave  a  howl  of  pain 
that  shook  the  earth,  and  was  about  to 
step  upon  Lolomi;  but  the  courageous 
youth,  remembering  what  the  toad  had 
said,  looked  steadily  at  him,  advancing 
slowly. 

The  Giant  walked  slowly  backwards, 
while  Lolomi  waved  his  spear  and  fol- 
lowed. Step  by  step  he  drove  his  foe  to 
the  edge  of  the  tableland.  Then  there 
was  a  great  bellow  of  terror,  the  falling 
of  stones,  and  the  crackling  of  timber,  as 
the  Giant  fell  down  into  a  black  chasm, — 
never  to  frighten  the  Moquis  again. 

Another  Giant  appeared  to  avenge  the 
death  of  his  comrade,  but  likewise  Lolomi 
drove  him  backwards  into  the  chasm. 
Another   Giant,   and   still   another,   and 

[121] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

many  others  appeared,  but  Lolomi,  with 
steadfast  eye  and  steady  nerve,  drove 
them  all  back  into  the  chasm  where  they 
died  in  a  heap. 

The  Moquis,  headed  by  the  King,  came 
forth  to  congratulate  the  brave  hero. 
Some  brought  costly  furs  and  feathers 
and  beads  and  all  sorts  of  garments  from 
their  wigwams,  and  laid  them  at  his  feet. 

They  all  insisted  that  one  so  brave 
should  be  made  their  King,  and  forthwith 
he  was  given  the  greatest  honor  that  ever 
fell  to  a  Moqui  brave. 

At  sunset  they  went  to  where  the  dead 
Giants  were  heaped  together,  and  cov- 
ered them  with  stones.  To  this  day  that 
spot  is  known  as  the  Giants'  Fall. 

Lolomi  was  overjoyed  because  his  be- 
loved people  would  no  longer  be  annoyed 
by  the  terrible  Giants.    When  he  returned 

[122] 


TWO  MOQUI  HEROES 

to  his  wigwam,  around  which  hundreds 
of  horses  and  cattle  had  been  staked,  he 
found  that  he  had  become  rich  as  well  as 
powerful;  for  sometimes  the  reaching  of 
some  great  aim  leads  to  the  attainment 
of  others  as  well. 

But  what  was  his  surprise  to  find  Rosy- 
Dawn  waiting  inside  the  wigwam,  cook- 
ing fish  with  her  own  dimpled  hands,  and 
looking  as  cheerful  and  obedient  as  any 
little  squaw  that  ever  won  the  heart  of  a 
brave  warrior. 


It  is  said  that  White  Corn,  by  the  wise 
use  of  his  plume-sticks  and  the  sack  of 
magic  meal,  escaped  from  the  dark  cav- 
ern under  the  earth,  and  with  Bright 
Eyes  returned  to  the  fair  land  of  the  Mo- 
guls, where  they  were  welcomed  by  King 
Lolomi  and  his  wife,  Rosy  Dawn. 

[123] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

To  this  day  there  are  tribes  of  Indians 
that  prefer  white  corn  to  that  of  any  other 
color;  while  Lolomi  is  used  by  them  as  a 
word  of  welcome  greeting. 


[124] 


THE  GODDESS  OF  LIGHT 

A  CANADIAN  LEGEND 

While  Canada  was  still  a  barren  wil- 
derness, there  lived  within  sight  of  the 
Alaskan  peaks,  a  Thinkleet,  or  Ogre,  who 
was  very  selfish  and  cruel. 

At  that  time  it  was  very  dark  and 
foggy,  for  there  was  no  sun  in  the 
heavens;  neither  was  there  a  moon,  nor 
stars,  nor  any  other  heavenly  bodies.  A 
few  wretched  people  groped  about,  liv- 
ing little  better  than  the  lizards  that  made 
their  homes  among  the  rocks. 

The  Thinkleet,  while  once  wandering 
in  the  cold  north  lands,  met  a  maiden 
whose  dazzling  beauty  shone  forth  even 
in  the  darkness.     She  consented  to  be  his 

[125] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

wife,  and  after  they  were  married,  he  took 
her  back  to  his  humble  lodge  in  Canada. 

Everyone  wondered  how  it  is  that  a 
rough,  cruel,  and  selfish  man  often  finds 
a  wife  that  is  good  and  beautiful.  One 
look  at  her  sweet,  contented  face  filled 
them  with  cheer  and  courage. 

It  is  said  that  the  Thinkleet  was  very 
jealous  of  her,  and  often  punished  her 
for  beaming  upon  all  people  alike. 

"Why  do  you  not  save  your  sweet 
smiles  for  me  alone?"  he  asked. 

"Because  I  was  sent  into  the  world  to 
spread  joy  and  good  will,"  she  replied 
sweetly.  "I  was  not  made  for  one  per- 
son, and  I  will  continue  to  treat  all  peo- 
ple the  same." 

The  Thinkleet  scolded  her  severely,  but 

the   harder   he   railed,    the   brighter   she 

smiled.     She  waited  upon  him  faithfully 

as  he  ate  his  supper,  and  quite  wore  away 

[126] 


THE  GODDESS  OF  LIGHT 

his  anger  with  her  gentle  words  and 
laughter. 

But  as  soon  as  the  Thinkleet  had  gone 
out  to  hunt  for  food,  she  thrust  her  head 
through  the  doorway  and  smiled  upon  all 
the  men  that  chanced  to  pass  by.  They 
gathered  about  her  and  gazed  at  her  in 
admiration. 

Some  one,  of  course,  told  the  Think- 
leet how  his  bride  had  been  smiling  upon 
the  passersby  during  his  absence,  and 
again  he  scolded  her  roundly,  saying  that 
he  would  destroy  her  if  she  acted  in  such 
an  unbecoming  manner  in  the  future. 

"You  may  bury  me  if  you  will,"  she 
replied  with  a  dazzling  smile,  "but  you 
cannot  kill  me.  No  mortal  can  deprive 
me  of  life." 

The  Thinkleet  got  a  flock  of  red  birds 
and  gave  them  to  his  wife.  She  did  not 
know  that  he  had  trained  them  to  report 
[  127  ] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

to  him  all  her  actions  while  he  was  away 
from  home,  so  she  cared  for  them  and 
called  them  her  pets. 

No  sooner  was  the  Thinkleet  out  of 
sight  than  his  beautiful  wife  went  to  the 
door  and  smiled  on  all  the  people  that 
passed  by.  When  he  returned  a  few 
hours  later,  the  red  birds  told  him  that  his 
wife  had  smiled  as  sweetly  upon  all  the 
neighbors  as  she  had  smiled  upon  him. 

Very  much  enraged,  the  Thinkleet 
seized  her  and  put  her  in  a  wooden  box. 
He  fastened  down  the  lid  and  stored  it 
away  in  a  room  that  was  seldom  used. 

But  his  sister,  who  was  fond  of  his 
goodnatured  wife,  came  in  and  begged 
him  to  set  her  free. 

Instead  of  granting  his  sister's  request, 
the  wretch  went  to  her  cottage  and  slew 
all   her   children.     Then   he   went   back 

[128] 


THE  GODDESS  OF  LIGHT 

home  and  sat  down  to  make  excuses  to 
himself  for  his  rash  act. 

The  world  was  darker  than  ever. 
Without  the  smile  of  his  gentle  wife,  he 
could  scarcely  see  at  all.  Filled  with 
terror,  he  groped  his  way  to  the  inner 
room  to  find  the  box  and  set  her  free; 
but  it  was  so  dark  that  he  could  not  find  it. 

All  the  people  around  him  began  to 
wail  aiid  lament,  for  never  before  had 
there  been  such  darkness  in  the  land. 

Meanwhile  the  Thinkleet's  sister  left 
her  cottage  and  went  out  to  the  seashore, 
weeping  bitterly. 

"Oh,  what  shall  I  do— what  shall  I  do!" 
she  moaned  to  the  waves  as  they  rippled 
against  the  beach. 

Suddenly  a  large  number  of  fishes 
stuck  their  heads  out  of  the  water,  and 
said: 

[129] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"Grieve  not,  good  woman,  for  thou  wilt 
have  another  child  that  will  be  greater 
than  the  Thinkleet.  It  is  thy  duty  to 
make  him  a  noble  man." 

So  the  woman  dried  her  tears  and 
traveled  far  away  to  a  strange  land,  where 
she  lived  a  quiet  but  useful  life.  A  few 
years  later  she  had  another  child,  a  bright, 
active  boy  whom  she  named  Yehl. 

She  became  as  happy  as  of  old  in  teach- 
ing her  son  all  that  was  helpful  and  no- 
ble. Yehl  was  a  beautiful  lad  and  as 
good  as  he  was  fair.  He  spent  all  his 
time  making  fires  along  the  shore,  that 
the  people  might  be  able  to  see  each  other. 
He  also  taught  them  how  to  use  fire  to 
cook  their  food. 

When  he  was  old  enough  to  use 
weapons,  his  mother  sent  him  to  where 
the  Thinkleet  lived,  to  set  free  his  beau- 
tiful wife. 

[130] 


THE  GODDESS  OF  LIGHT 

Yehl  found  the  lodge  of  the  Thinkleet 
dark  and  deserted,  for  the  wicked  crea- 
ture was  out  fishing.  He  stole  quietly  in, 
and  began  to  search  for  the  hidden  box. 
He  finally  touched  a  wooden  surface,  and 
at  the  same  time  he  heard  a  groan. 

"I  have  come  to  set  free  my  beautiful 
aunt!"  he  cried,  very  much  excited. 

"And  you  will  be  killed  by  your  uncle!'* 
shouted  a  gruff  voice. 

Yehl  drew  his  sword, — and  just  in  time, 
for  the  Thinkleet  had  entered  the  lodge 
and  was  making  for  him  with  a  spear  and 
a  club. 

For  a  long  time  they  fought  until  Yehl, 
finding  his  strength  giving  out,  made  his 
escape. 

He  waited  for  several  days  before 
again  attempting  to  find  the  box.  Fi- 
nally he  entered  the  lodge  after  the 
Thinkleet  had  gone  out  to  catch  fish.    For 

[131] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

a  long  time  he  groped  about  until  his 
hands  fell  upon  a  rough  wooden  surface. 

His  heart  beat  with  expectation,  al- 
though he  was  sure  that  the  Thinkleet's 
wife  was  no  longer  living. 

He  fumbled  with  the  lock  and  finally 
opened  it.  Instead  of  hearing  a  moan 
as  before,  a  peal  of  laughter  fell  upon 
his  astonished  ears. 

Then  a  wonderful  thing  took  place, 
such  as  never  has  happened  since. 

No  sooner  had  the  lid  of  the  box  been 
removed  than  a  flood  of  light  blinded 
Yehl  for  a  moment.  He  rubbed  his  eyes 
and  looked  at  the  box,  utterly  astounded. 
The  beautiful,  smiling  woman  had  turned 
into  a  flood  of  light  that  ascended  heaven- 
ward to  the  sun,  giving  it  the  radiance 
that,  since  that  time,  has  enlightened  all 
the  world. 

When  the  light  fell  upon  Yehl,  he  be- 

[132] 


THE  GODDESS  OF  LIGHT 


FOE  A   LONG   TIME    THEY   FOUGHT 


[138] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

came  gifted  with  the  power  of  magic.  He 
found  another  box,  which  some  folklore 
story-tellers  say  contained  the  former 
wives  of  the  Thinkleet,  and  from  their 
dark  hiding  place  came  forth  the  moon 
and  the  stars.  They  floated  to  their  places 
in  the  skies  and  lighted  the  dark  world 
at  night. 

All  the  people  were  filled  with  awe. 
Yehl  went  among  them  to  comfort  those 
that  were  frightened.  Those  that  had 
fled  to  the  water  he  changed  into  fishes, 
others  that  had  sought  the  forests  he 
changed  into  birds,  while  still  others  were 
changed  into  deer  and  other  graceful  ani- 
mals. The  remaining  people  fell  at  his 
feet  and  hailed  him  as  their  deliverer. 

When  the  Thinkleet  saw  the  beautiful 
face  of  his  wife  in  the  sun,  he  hid  himself 
in  a  dark  cave  and  never  more  returned 

[134] 


THE  GODDESS  OF  LIGHT 

to  his  home;  for  it  is  said  that  the  wicked 
do  not  hke  the  hght. 

Yehl  went  throughout  all  the  country 
doing  all  the  good  he  could;  but  as  long 
as  he  lived  on  earth,  he  loved  the  God- 
dess of  Light  who  smiled  upon  him  each 
day  from  her  home  in  the  sun. 


[135] 


SWEET  PEA  AND  SWEET  WIL- 
LIAJVI 

AN   ENGLISH   FAIRY  TALE. 

At  one  time  "Merrie  England*'  was 
filled  with  fairies  and  other  sprightly  be- 
ings. They  were  so  numerous  and  so 
powerful  that  they  could  do  whatsoever 
they  wished  with  the  people  that  lived 
there. 

Even  the  nobility  suffered  from  their 
strange  pranks,  and  several  instances  have 
been  recorded  where  they  changed  the  des- 
tinies of  Princes  and  Princesses  as  well 
as  of  Kings  and  Queens.  Yet  these  fair- 
ies could  do  no  lasting  harm,  and  the  good 
deeds  they  did  far  exceeded  in  number 
their  mischievous  acts. 
[136] 


SWEET  PEA  AND  SWEET  WILLIAM 

The  Duchess  of  Cornwall,  who  was  a 
very  fashionable  lady,  suffered  so  many 
annoyances  from  the  hands  of  these  mys- 
terious creatures,  that  she  spent  most  of 
her  time  upon  the  water. 

One  day  she  entertained  a  party  of  la- 
dies in  her  boat  on  Lake  Dozmaree.  The 
Duchess,  who  was  a  great  mischief  as  well 
as  a  great  talker,  sat  knitting  at  one  end 
of  the  boat.  Frequently  she  would  thrust 
one  of  her  knitting-needles  into  the  lake, 
saying  that  she  wanted  to  see  how  deep 
the  water  was. 

When  the  boat  had  reached  the  mid- 
dle of  the  lake,  a  man  with  the  body  of  a 
fish,  and  with  long  hair  hanging  about 
his  flat  face  and  hiding  his  fishy  eyes, 
caught  hold  of  the  boat  and  splashed 
water  all  over  the  merry-makers. 

"Wicked  woman!"  he  cried,  leering  at 
the  Duchess,  as  he  rocked  the  boat  until 
[137] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

all  the  ladies  were  deathly  sick.  "With 
thy  knitting-needles  thou  hast  poked  out 
the  eyes  of  my  wife  and  all  my  children. 
Because  thou  hast  been  so  thoughtless,  in 
thy  eiForts  to  be  funny,  I  will  bewitch  thy 
son.  In  the  future  he  shall  not  be  able 
to  do  as  he  wishes,  but  shall  do  the  con- 
trary. If  he  wishes  to  eat,  he  will  go  to 
sleep;  if  he  wishes  to  laugh,  he  will  cry; 
if  he  wishes  to  rest,  he  will  turn  somer- 
saults. I  cannot  alter  his  heart,  but  I  can 
make  him  go  against  all  that  his  good 
heart  prompts  him  to  do.  It  will  serve 
thee  right  for  thy  carelessness." 

The  creature  vanished,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  ladies  heard  a  plaintive  noise,  as 
if  a  colony  of  mussels  and  oysters  were 
crying  and  lamenting. 

The  Duchess,  in  great  alarm,  hurried 
back  to  the  castle  to  see  her  little  son,  who 
was  two  years  old.     She  had  named  him 

[138] 


SWEET  PEA  AND  SWEET  WILLIAM 


WICKED   WOMAN  !  "    HE    CBIED 


[139] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

Sweet  William,  because  he  was  such  a 
pretty,  modest,  and  lovable  child. 

She  bade  the  nurse  bring  him  to  her  at 
once.  When  he  saw  his  mother,  the  boy 
wanted  to  show  his  affection;  but  the 
wicked  creature  at  the  bottom  of  the  lake 
had  bewitched  him. 

When  his  mother  asked  him  for  a  kiss, 
he  struck  her;  when  she  begged  him  to 
say  that  he  was  sorry,  he  declared  that  he 
would  do  it  again ;  and  when  she  told  him 
to  go  to  bed,  he  crawled  into  the  big  chest 
in  the  butler's  pantry.  Never  had  a  child 
acted  so  unbecomingly,  and  never  was 
there  one  that  became  more  unpopular 
than  Sweet  William. 

On  that  same  day  the  King  of  Eng- 
land had  an  experience  that  caused  even 
more  unhappiness  than  that  which  the 
poor  Duchess  was  compelled  to  endure. 

[140] 


SWEET  PEA  AND  SWEET  WILLIAM 

He  was  hunting  in  the  wood,  when  he 
became  separated  from  the  rest  of  his 
party.  Tired  and  hungry,  he  sat  down 
upon  a  grassy  mound,  and  took  a  cold 
chicken  from  his  wallet. 

"How  nice  it  is  to  be  alone!"  he  said  to 
himself.  "Now  I  can  eat  in  peace.  It 
will  be  great  sport  to  have  my  men  search 
all  about  for  me,  and  they  will  show  great 
appreciation  when  they  find  me." 

The  King  ate  his  lunch;  but  when  a 
hungry  person  eats  his  dinner  alone,  he 
is  not  so  apt  to  be  polite  as  he  is  when 
others  are  watching  him.  He  ate  the 
cold  chicken  in  a  few  minutes,  throwing 
the  bones  on  the  grass. 

Suddenly  a  queer  little  woman,  who 
was  a  pixy  not  more  than  a  foot  tall,  stood 
before  him,  shaking  a  stick  in  his  face. 
The  King,  who  had  never  known  what  it 

[141] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

was  to  see  anyone  behave  in  such  a  man- 
ner in  his  presence,  was  more  amused  than 
shocked. 

"Why  are  you  so  angry?"  he  asked,  be- 
ginning to  laugh. 

"I  will  teach  you  a  lesson  in  manners!" 
she  shrieked  at  the  top  of  her  voice. 
"Why  did  you  throw  bones  at  my  chil- 
dren? One  of  them  is  crippled  for  life, 
another  has  a  broken  head,  and  the  rest 
are  badly  bruised." 

"I  am  very  sorry,"  said  the  King,  much 
astounded. 

"You  are  sitting  upon  my  house,  and  I 
hope  you  will  go  away  at  once,"  she  re- 
sumed. "It  is  a  shame  that  my  little  ones 
cannot  play  in  the  grass  without  being 
pelted  by  chicken  bones  hurled  at  them 
by  a  big,  rude  King." 

The  Ruler  of  England  hastily  rose 
from  his  comfortable  seat,  and,  to  his  sur- 

[142] 


SWEET  PEA  AND  SWEET  WILLIAM 

prise,  saw  that  the  grassy  mound  was  a 
sod  house  with  tiny  doors  and  windows. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  my  good  woman," 
said  the  King,  very  much  humiliated. 

"Fy  upon  you!"  cried  the  pixy,  still 
brandishing  her  stick.  "I  will  bewitch 
your  daughter  that  has  just  been  born  at 
St.  James's  Palace.  You  shall  never  see 
her  until  she  is  about  to  be  given  in  mar- 
riage, and  she  shall  be  reared  by  a  poor 
shepherd." 

The  King,  whose  feeling  of  amusement 
had  died  away,  blew  his  bugle,  and  soon 
all  his  companions  came  to  his  assistance. 
He  told  them  what  the  pixy  had  said,  and 
turned  to  point  out  the  sod  house;  but  it 
had  disappeared.  The  pixy  had  vanished 
also,  and  all  that  could  be  heard  were  the 
plaintive  cries  of  crickets. 

When  they  reached  the  palace,  a  her- 
ald came  riding  forth  to  meet  them. 

[143] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"This  is  an  unhappy  day  for  your 
Majesty,"  he  groaned,  bowing  before  the 
King.  "An  hour  ago  a  Httle  daughter 
came  to  your  palace,  but  hardly  had  the 
glad  tidings  been  made  public,  when  she 
was  stolen.  We  have  searched  the  pal- 
ace from  the  battlements  to  the  moat, 
even  looking  into  the  cupboards  and  linen 
closets,  but  nowhere  can  she  be  found. 
The  Royal  Squires  are  scouring  the  coun- 
try to  find  a  trace  of  her." 

Great  was  the  grief  of  the  King  when 
he  saw  his  poor  wife,  who  was  weeping 
bitterly.  He  told  her  of  his  experience 
in  the  wood,  and  she  seemed  relieved. 

"I  knew  that  she  was  stolen  by  the 
elves,"  she  said;  "but  now  I  am  comforted 
to  know  that  she  will  be  well  cared  for 
and  will  live  to  marry" — 

"A  wood-chopper,  probably,"  inter- 
rupted the  King.     "What  would  Eng- 

[144] 


SWEET  PEA  AND  SWEET  WILLIAM 

land  do,  if  the  husband  of  its  future 
Queen  turned  out  to  be  a  low,  common 
woodsman?" 

Meanwhile  the  little  Princess  was  sail- 
ing through  the  air,  well  guarded  by  a 
party  of  elves,  who  were  friends  of  the 
pixy  that  lived  in  the  wood.  High  above 
the  church  steeples  they  flew,  on  and  on 
over  flat  moorlands  and  mountains  to  the 
hut  of  a  shepherd,  where  they  swiftly 
descended,  at  last  dropping  their  precious 
burden  into  a  pan  of  peas. 

A  good  old  woman,  who  was  shelling 
the  peas,  half  asleep,  jumped  up  and 
cried  out  in  surprise,  when  she  saw  a  pink 
baby  in  her  lap.  At  first  she  thought  that 
the  tiny  visitor  had  come  from  one  of  the 
pods  she  was  opening;  and  never  was  a 
woman  more  surprised. 

"Father,  father!"  she  cried.  "Look  at 
the  sweet  baby  that  came  to  me  while  I 

[145] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

was  shelling  peas!     Bless  her  dear  little 
heart;  she  shall  be  our  daughter." 

The  old  shepherd  was  equally  delighted. 


DROPPIKO    TUEIB    PHECIOUS    BUHDEN    INTO    A    PAN    OF    PEA8 

and  beamed  with  happiness  when  his  good 
wife  stopped  her  work  to  make  odd  little 
garments  for  the  baby  to  wear. 

[146] 


SWEET  PEA  AND  SWEET  WILLIAM 

"Aiid  what  shall  we  name  her?"  he 
asked. 

"There  is  only  one  suitable  name  in  all 
the  kingdom  for  our  little  daughter,  and 
that  is  Sweet  Pea,"  chuckled  the  good  old 
woman. 

So  the  Princess  was  reared  by  the  shep- 
herd and  his  wife,  and  learned  to  tend 
sheep  as  well  as  any  mountaineer  in  the 
country  round.  Although  the  good  old 
couple  could  not  afford  to  buy  her  many 
pretty  things,  they  taught  her  many  beau- 
tiful lessons  of  love  and  sacrifice  that  pos- 
sibly she  would  never  have  learned  in  the 
palace.  At  night  she  would  read  arid 
study,  trying  to  improve  her  mind  as  best 
she  could. 

Meanwhile  Sweet  William,  although 
kind  at  heart,  was  the  worst  behaved  lad 
in  all  England.*  Not  one  of  the  noble 
maidens  liked  him,  for  it  is  said  that  when 

[147] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

he  courted  a  lass,  he  would  call  her  a  horse 
or  some  other  animal  instead  of  calling 
her  a  dear.  When  he  tried  to  dance,  he 
would  stand  on  his  head;  when  he  meant 
to  smile  sweetly,  he  would  make  ugly 
faces;  and  when  he  went  to  shake  hands 
with  his  mother's  guests,  he  would  box 
their  ears  instead.  Everyone  but  his 
mother  believed  that  he  was  crazy. 

One  night  the  beautiful  fairy  Morgana, 
who  always  favored  the  Cornish  people, 
came  to  the  Duchess  and  whispered : 

"Scatter  fern-seed  on  the  waters  of 
Lake  Dozmaree;  it  is  good  for  blind 
eyes." 

The  next  day  the  Duchess  and  all  her 
ladies  went  to  the  wood  and  gathered 
ferns.  Then  they  rubbed  them  between 
their  hands,  and  took  the  seed  to  the  lake. 
When  they  were  in  the 'midst  of  it,  they 
sprinkled  the  seed  upon  the  water. 

[148] 


SWEET  PEA  AND  SWEET  WILLIAM 

Immediately,  the  man  who  was  half  fish 
rose  from  the  water  and  leaned  over  the 
boat. 

"Because  thou  hast  healed  the  eyes  of 
my  family  and  restored  their  sight,  I  will 
reward  thee,"  he  said  to  the  Duchess. 
"Thy  son  shall  soon  be  in  manner  what 
he  is  in  heart — but  not  until  he  is  mar- 
ried." 

The  Duchess  felt  very  much  relieved. 
So  she  sent  her  son  to  school  and  later  to 
the  Court  of  St.  James,  where  he  could 
learn  good  manners  and  in  every  way  be- 
come fitted  to  rule  the  Duchy  of  Corn- 
wall when  his  father  should  pass  away. 

The  King  had  great  patience  with 
Sweet  William,  although  the  lad  slept 
during  dinner  and  wanted  to  eat  after  he 
had  gone  to  bed.  Whenever  Sweet  Wil- 
liam made  up  his  mind  to  say  nothing, 
but  to  sit  quiet,  so  as  not  to  make  himself 
[149] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

ridiculous,  all  at  once  he  would  begin  to 
sing  and  turn  handsprings. 

One  day  a  strange  thing  happened  to 
Sweet  Pea  as  she  was  eating  her  lunch  in 
the  pasture.  She  took  an  egg  from  her 
pail  and  neatly  cut  off  the  ends  with  a 
sharp  knife.  Then  she  took  the  delicate 
skin  that  lined  the  egg  and  made  it  into  a 
tiny  jacket. 

She  had  just  finished  her  pleasant  task 
when  she  heard  a  loud,  cackling  laugh. 
At  the  same  time  the  little  pixy  woman 
appeared,  evidently  much  pleased  about 
something. 

"Give  me  those  two  shells,  that  I  may 
use  them  for  porridge  bowls,"  she  said. 

"Certainly,"  replied  Sweet  Pea,  "and 
here  is  a  tiny  jacket  that  possibly  might 
fit  one  of  your  little  ones." 

"Thank  you,"  cried  the  pixy,  much  de- 
lighted.    "It  will  fit  my  youngest  child, 

[150] 


SWEET  PEA  AND  SWEET  WILLIAM 

and,  indeed,  he  should  feel  honored  to 
wear  a  garment  made  by  the  future 
Queen  of  England." 

"I  will  come  every  day  and  make  you 
porridge  bowls  and  jackets"  said  Sweet 
Pea,  who  was  always  eager  to  help  oth- 
ers. 

"Because  you  have  done  this,  I  will  tell 
you  who  you  really  are,"  said  the  pixy, 
advancing  another  step.  "You  are  not  a 
shepherd's  child,  but  the  daughter  of  the 
King.  Here  comes  your  future  hus- 
band, who  is  the  heir  of  the  Duke  of  Corn- 
wall. He  is  bewitched,  so  pay  no  heed  to 
what  he  may  say  or  do." 

At  that  moment  Sweet  William  came 
riding  along.  When  he  saw  Sweet  Pea, 
he  was  bewildered  by  her  beauty. 

"Good  morning,"  he  said,  doffing  his 
hat.  "Never  before  have  I  seen  such  an 
ugly  face  or  such  awkward  manners." 

[151] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"Good  morning,  sir,"  replied  Sweet 
Pea.  "I  was  thinking  the  same  about 
yourself." 

He  leapt  from  his  horse  and  came  close 
to  Sweet  Pea,  gazing  at  her  with  plead- 
ing eyes. 

At  that  moment  his  hounds  began  to 
chase  the  girl's  sheep,  and  a  great  com- 
motion followed.  Instead  of  calling  off 
his  dogs,  he  made  them  run  down  and  kill 
every  sheep  in  the  flock. 

"Alas!  your  hounds  have  killed  all  my 
sheep,  and  my  poor  father  and  mother 
will  have  no  money  to  keep  them  through 
the  winter,"  cried  the  girl,  her  eyes  filled 
with  tears.  "Unless  you  pay  for  the  loss 
of  their  sheep,  I  will  report  you  to  the 
King." 

"I  am  extremely  glad  that  they  killed 
your  sheep,'*  said  Sweet  William,  turn- 
ing a  somersault.     "I  will  not  pay  for 

[152] 


SWEET  PEA  AND  SWEET  WILLIAM 

the  damage  that  my  hounds  have  done, 
for  they  were  certainly  justified  in  kill- 
ing your  sheep." 


HE   LEAPT   FEOM    HIS   HORSE   AXD   CAME   CLOSE   TO   SWEET  PEA 

After  rudely  pulling  the  girl's  hair,  he 
mounted  his  horse  and  rode  away.     Sweet 

[153] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

Pea  was  so  vexed  at  his  conduct  that  she 
went  to  her  home,  dressed  herself  in  her 
best  gown,  and  rode  on  horseback  to  the 
palace  of  the  King.  She  had  much  diffi- 
culty in  getting  to  see  him,  for  the  guards 
thought  that  she  was  a  beggar. 

When  the  King  saw  the  slender  maiden 
standing  before  him,  so  pretty  and  mod- 
est, her  face  flushed  with  embarrassment 
and  her  long  lashes  half  concealing  her 
eyes,  he  became  very  much  interested  in 
her;  and  when  he  had  heard  how  one  of 
his  men  had  been  wantonly  rude  to  her 
and  had  made  his  hounds  kill  her  sheep, 
he  was  very  angry,  indeed. 

"I  did  not  mean  to  complain  to  your 
Majesty,"  she  said  with  a  low  bow,  "but 
I  should  like  to  have  my  dear  old  father 
and  mother  receive  money  for  the  loss 
they  have  sustained,  as  they  are  very 
poor." 

[  154] 


SWEET  PEA  AND  SWEET  WILLIAM 

"You  shall  have  the  rascal  whose 
hounds  killed  your  sheep,  my  sweet  lass," 
said  the  King,  "and  you  can  do  with  him 
whatever  you  please.  You  may  order 
him  to  be  hanged,  if  you  wish,  and  I  will 
see  that  he  dangles  at  the  end  of  a  tight 
rope  before  sundown." 

"I  should  like  to  marry  the  one  who 
has  caused  me  all  this  suffering,"  said 
the  maid,  blushing  rosy  red. 

The  King  was  surprised,  but  he  laughed 
long  and  loudly.  Then  he  turned  to  his 
chamberlain  and  said: 

"Send  each  man  of  my  court  to  me,  one 
at  a  time,  that  I  may  find  out  who  it  was 
that  has  caused  this  maiden  so  much  trou- 
ble. If  he  be  a  married  man,  he  shall 
pay  her  a  goodly  sum ;  if  he  be  a  bachelor, 
he  shall  marry  her  in  my  presence  to- 
day." 

One  courtier  after  another  was  brought 

[155] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

before  the  King,  but  Sweet  Pea  shook 
her  head  each  time,  saying : 

"It  is  not  he,  your  Majesty." 

The  last  one  to  appear  was  Sweet  Wil- 
liam, who  looked  very  guilty  and  equally 
as  uncomfortable. 

"He  is  the  man,"  said  Sweet  Pea.  "I 
had  quite  forgotten  that  his  hair  is  the 
color  of  yellow  wheat  and  his  eyes  the 
hue  of  the  anemone.  I  am  very  sorry 
that  I  have  caused  your  Majesty  so  much 
trouble." 

In  vain  Sweet  William  begged  to  be 
released.  He  offered  to  pay  the  girl 
fifty  pounds  if  she  would  permit  him  to 
go  free;  but  she  shook  her  head. 

"I  will  have  you,  according  to  the 
King's  agreement,"  said  the  girl  firmly, 
"and  the  more  you  protest,  the  harder  it 
will  be  for  you." 

"But  I  do  not  love  you  I"  cried  Sweet 
[156] 


SWEET  PEA  AND  SWEET  WILLIAM 

William.     "I  hated  you  the  first  time  I 
saw  you.     Never  have  I  seen  a  girl  so 

ugly-" 

Nevertheless  the  King  called  for  his 
chaplain,  and  although  Sweet  William 
had  to  be  held  by  six  soldiers,  the  wedding 
ceremony  was  performed. 

As  soon  as  Sweet  Pea  touched  his  hand, 
Sweet  William  embraced  her  rapturously. 

"At  last  the  spell  is  broken,"  he  said, 
"and  the  words  I  speak  are  those  that  my 
heart  prompts.  I  cannot  tell  you  how 
much  I  love  you,  dear  little  shepherdess, 
nor  can  I  tell  you  how  happy  the  sight 
of  your  fair  face  makes  me." 

At  that  moment  the  fairy  Morgana  ap- 
peared and  said  to  the  King: 

"Fear  not  that  the  Duke  and  Duchess 
of   Cornwall   will   be   displeased   at   this 
union;  for  the  girl  is  nobler  born  than 
any  of  the  House  of  Cornwall." 
[1571 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"How  can  that  be?"  asked  the  King  in 
surprise. 

"Because  she  is  your  daughter, — the  fu- 
ture Queen  of  England." 

Much  happiness  followed  this  an- 
nouncement, and  the  King  and  Queen 
and  the  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Cornwall 
and  all  the  nobility  as  well  as  the  common 
people,  spent  a  fortnight  in  feasting  and 
rejoicing. 

Sweet  William  and  Sweet  Pea  then 
went  to  the  castle  at  Cornwall;  and,  so  it 
has  been  said,  the  generous  bride  threw 
buns  filled  with  currants  out  of  the  stage- 
coach window  to  the  Cornish  peasants  as 
she  rode  merrily  along  to  her  grand  new 
home. 


[158] 


ST.  JOHN'S  EVE 

A  SPANISH  LEGEND 

One  of  the  most  beautiful  girls  that 
ever  lived  in  Spain  was  Carmenita 
Todega.  But  if  Carmenita  had  been 
beautiful  alone,  without  possessing  a  kind 
disposition  and  a  pure  mind  and  heart, 
possibly  the  world  would  never  have  heard 
of  her.  As  it  was,  her  many  good  quali- 
ties quite  outshone  her  beauty  of  face  and 
form. 

While  the  girl  was  still  very  young, 
her  mother  died,  leaving  her  in  care  of  an 
aunt,  who  lived  in  the  Province  of  Soria. 
Carmenita's  father,  Miguel  Todega,  loved 
her  tenderly;  but  he  seldom  saw  her,  for 
his  duties  kept  him  in  foreign  lands. 
[159] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

The  girl's  aunt,  Juanna  Todega,  was 
an  unlovable,  ill-natured  woman.  She 
scolded  from  morning  till  night,  and 
abused  her  niece  in  such  a  shocking  man- 
ner that  all  the  neighbors  disliked  her. 
She  made  the  girl  toil  till  her  hands  were 
blistered,  and  often  beat  her  with  a  leather 
strap  to  make  her  work  more  industri- 
ously. 

Yet  Carmenita  never  complained,  for 
she  thought  that  if  she  made  the  best  of 
things,  and  was  patient,  the  good  fairies 
would  come  to  her  aid. 

Every  day  Juanna  sent  her  niece  to  the 
Big  Black  Mountain,  a  half  mile  away, 
to  get  water  from  the  spring.  The  vil- 
lage folk  felt  very  sorry  for  the  poor 
maid,  when  they  saw  her  trudging  home- 
ward with  two  big  copper  jars,  bending 
beneath  the  weight  of  the  burden. 

Most  of  the  villagers  were  afraid  to  go 
[160] 


ST.  JOHN'S  EVE 

near  the  Big  Black  Mountain,  lest  some 
enchantment  would  befall  them.  It  was 
said  that  strange  voices  could  be  heard 
among  its  ghostly  trees,  and  each  of  its 
cascades  told  a  story  of  woe.  But  Car- 
menita  much  preferred  the  company  of 
the  desolate  peak  to  that  of  her  cruel 
aunt.  In  fact,  she  sometimes  sat  alone 
at  the  spring  for  hours,  sewing  or  knit- 
ting, that  the  children  might  not  see  her 
red,  weep-worn  eyes. 

Not  far  from  the  home  of  Juanna  there 
lived  a  widow  whose  first  name  was  Ur- 
sula. Although  she  was  a  hard-working 
woman,  the  noblest  blood  of  Spain 
coursed  in  her  veins.  She  had  a  hand- 
some son  named  Carlos,  who  was  the  beau 
of  the  village.  All  the  maidens  of  wealth 
and  family  would  have  been  glad  to  have 
him  for  a  husband,  but  the  girl  of  his 
choice  was  Carmenita. 
[161] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

It  was  on  the  day  before  St.  John's 
Eve  that  Ursula  went  to  the  home  of 
Juanna.  Carmenita  was  working  in  the 
kitchen,  and  her  aunt  was  eating  her  sup- 
per alone. 

"Good  evening,  Senora,"  said  Ursula. 
I  came  to  beg  a  favor  of  you." 

"What  is  it?"  asked  Juanna,  more  gra- 
cious than  usual,  for  she  respected  Ursula 
because  of  her  noble  blood. 

"To-morrow  is  St.  John's  Eve,"  replied 
the  visitor,  "and  there  will  be  a  great  ball 
at  the  Plaza.  All  the  people  for  miles 
around  will  be  there.  My  son  Carlos  has 
begged  me  to  get  your  permission  to  take 
Carmenita  with  my  daughters.  I  should 
be  so  happy  to  have  her  as  our  guest." 

"I  do  not  approve  of  dancing  on  St. 
John's  Eve,"  said  Juanna;  "besides,  the 
girl  has  no  gown  that  would  be  good 
enough  to  wear  to  such  a  place." 

[162] 


ST.  JOHN'S  EVE 

"Let  her  wear  her  simple  white  dress 
and  blue  bows,  and  have  her  arrange  her 
pretty  black  hair  in  two  braids,  and  she 
will  be  lovelier  than  the  grandest  senorita 
in  the  land,"  said  Ursula. 

**She  may  go  since  you  wish  it,"  said 
Juanna  with  cold  politeness,  for  she  felt 
vexed  because  Ursula  had  not  asked  her 
to  go  along. 

Carmenita  almost  wept  for  joy,  when 
she  learned  that  she  was  to  go  to  the  ball. 
She  was  as  bright  and  graceful  as  a  fairy, 
and  she  knew  that  all  the  lads  would  beg 
her  to  dance  with  them.  She  thanked  her 
aunt  a  dozen  times  for  permitting  her 
to  go. 

On  the  next  evening  she  dressed  her- 
self in  her  simple  white  gown,  braided 
her  long  black  hair,  and  put  on  her  blue 
bows.  With  satisfaction  she  eyed  herself 
in  the  mirror,  spots  of  color  flaming  in 
[163] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

her  olive  cheeks.  Just  as  she  was  ready- 
to  go  to  the  home  of  Ursula,  her  aunt, 
who  had  been  very  cross  all  day,  came 
into  her  room. 

"There  isn't  a  drop  of  water  in  the 
house,"  she  said  sharply.  "I  can't  think 
of  letting  you  go  until  you  hie  to  the  Big 
Black  Mountain  and  fill  the  copper  jars 
at  the  spring." 

"But  it  is  time  for  the  ball,  and  I  must 
not  be  late,"  said  Carmenita,  all  the  joy 
of  her  young  heart  dying  away. 

"I  must  have  a  drink,  and  you  shall  go 
to  the  spring  immediately,"  cried  her 
aunt,  stamping  her  foot.  "How  dare  you 
refuse  to  obey  me?" 

"But  it  is  so  dark"— 

"And  you  are  a  coward,"  interrupted 
her  aunt.  "Surely  no  one  would  wish  to 
steal  a  girl  who  has  neither  money  nor 
beauty.     I  would  go  myself  but  I  have 

[164] 


ST.  JOHN'S  EVE 

on  my  best  gown  and  do  not  want  to  get 
it  splashed  with  water.  Do  not  stand 
gaping,  but  hasten." 

Without  another  protesting  word,  Car- 
menita  took  the  copper  jars  and  hurried 
to  the  Big  Black  Mountain. 

Ursula  and  her  three  daughters  waited 
a  long  time  for  Carmenita,  but  she  did 
not  come. 

"We  will  go  over  to  the  Plaza  and  tell 
Carlos,  for  he  promised  to  meet  us  there," 
said  Ursula.  "Doubtless  the  poor  girl 
has  had  to  work  for  her  disagreeable 
aunt,  and  will  be  late." 

Carlos  was  sorely  disappointed  when  he 
saw  that  Carmenita  had  not  come  with 
his  family.  As  soon  as  the  ball  opened 
he  hastened  to  the  girl's  home. 

Juanna  met  him  at  the  door.  She  was 
wringing  her  hands,  pulling  out  her  hair, 
and  crying. 

[165] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"O  Carlos,  you  will  never  speak  to  me 
again,"  she  moaned.  "I  was  unjust  to 
Carmenita  many  times  to-day;  and  to- 
night, just  as  she  was  ready  to  go  to  the 
ball,  I  sent  her  to  the  Big  Black  JVIoun- 
tain  for  water.  She  has  not  returned 
yet,  and  I  fear  that  the  evil  spirits  have 
taken  her  away." 

"Why  did  you  not  seek  her?"  asked 
Carlos,  burning  with  anger. 

"I  went  to  the  spring  a  half  hour  ago," 
returned  Juanna,  sobbing  bitterly;  **the 
copper  jars  stood  there,  filled  with  water, 
but  nowhere  could  I  find  my  dear,  sweet 
little  niece — the  pride  of  my  heart.  I 
shouted  again  and  again  at  the  top  of  my 
voice,  but  the  mountains  only  mocked  me. 
Then  I  heard  the  sound  of  horses'  hoofs, 
and  right  before  me  passed  a  doleful  pro- 
cession. Hundreds  of  men,  dressed  in 
heavy  armor,  with  white  handkerchiefs 
[166] 


ST.  JOHN'S  EVE 

twisted  about  their  heads,  rode  slowly 
along.  Their  faces  were  as  pale  as  mar- 
ble, and  they  looked  straight  ahead,  not 
heeding  my  cries  for  my  lost 
darling.  Oh,  what  will  my  brother  Miguel 
say!" 

"Wretched  woman!"  cried  Carlos,  seiz- 
ing her  arm.  "You  are  the  girl's  mur- 
derer. Do  you  not  know  that  this  is  St. 
John's  Eve,  and  you  will  never  see  Car- 
menita  again?  She  has  been  stolen. 
This  is  the  night  when  all  the  Moors,  that 
have  been  buried  for  many,  many  years, 
rise  from  their  resting  places  to  do  hom- 
age to  their  King  in  Granada.  I  know 
full  well  how  you  have  been  abusing  your 
niece,  and  I  will  tell  her  father  when  he 
comes  again.  If  I  do  not  find  her,  I  will 
expose  you  to  the  public." 

"O  Carlos,  have  mercy  on  me,  for  the 
sake  of  my  little  darling  who  has  been 
[167] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 


"oh,   CAHL08,   HAVE   MEHCY   ON    ME ! 


[168] 


ST.  JOHN'S  EVE 

stolen!"  cried  Juanna,  cowering  in  a  cor- 
ner and  weeping  still  harder. 

But  Carlos  had  no  pity  for  the  cruel 
woman.  He  ran  away  from  her  and  soon 
reached  the  spring  at  the  foot  of  the  Big 
Black  Mountain.  The  moon  was  shining, 
and  the  great  trees  looked  like  giants 
ready  to  pounce  upon  him.  When  he 
saw  the  two  copper  jars  filled  with  water, 
he  burst  into  tears.  In  his  grief  he 
shouted  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  as  he 
searched  all  about: 

"O  Carmenita — Carmenita !  Where 
are  you,  my  beautiful  darling!" 

But  the  Big  Black  Mountain  only 
mocked  him,  and  the  leaves  of  the  trees 
rustled  mournfully. 

Carmenita  was  beyond  the  help  of  any- 
one. When  she  had  filled  the  copper 
jars  at  the  spring,  she  heard  the  tramp- 
ing of  horses'  hoofs  and  the  rattling  of 
[169] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

armor.  Then  she  beheld  the  long  line  of 
warriors,  riding  upon  their  steeds.  When 
she  saw  their  pale  set  faces,  she  turned 
cold  with  fear  and  stood  as  if  turned  to 
stone. 

Before  long  a  woman  advanced  from 
the  mighty  throng  and  touched  her  arm. 
She  was  very  beautiful,  with  dark  blue 
eyes  and  long  golden  hair  that  swept  the 
ground;  but  her  face  was  extremely 
pale. 

"I  have  been  looking  for  you  a  long 
time,  Senorita,"  she  said  in  a  weak  voice. 
"No  one  but  you  can  help  me.  Do  not 
stop  to  talk ;  but  come  with  me,  for  I  need 
you.     I  implore  you  to  follow  me." 

Carmenita,  half  stunned,  followed  the 
beautiful  woman  almost  a  mile  to  the  side 
of  a  steep  mountain,  where  she  entered  a 
dark  cavern. 

"Shut  your  eyes  and  give  me  your 
[170] 


ST.  JOHN'S  EVE 

hand,"  commanded  the  woman,  "and  rest 
assured  that  no  harm  can  befall  you." 

The  girl  obeyed,  shuddering  at  the  cold 
touch  of  the  hand  that  held  hers.  For 
a  long  time  they  wandered  in  the  dense 
blackness  until  the  woman  said: 

"Open  your  eyes.  We  are  now  in  a 
place  where  we  can  talk  without  being 
overheard." 

Carmenita  found  herself  in  a  crystal 
vault  tinted  with  gold.  She  was  more 
surprised  than  frightened,  but  she  did  not 
utter  a  word. 

"Sit  down  by  me  and  I  will  tell  you  my 
story,"  said  the  woman,  making  room  for 
the  girl  on  a  rude  bench.  "I  am  sure 
when  you  hear  it  that  you  will  be  willing 
to  suifer  for  my  sake.  Centuries  ago  I 
lived  in  the  flesh.  I  am  Moorish,  and  I 
was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Christians  dur- 
ing a  great  battle.  My  people  could 
[171] 


*     OF  TH£ 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 

IFOH]i^ 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 


HAVE    BEEN    LOOKING    FOR    YOU    A    IX)NO    TIME 


[172] 


ST.  JOHN'S  EVE 

have  redeemed  me  later,  but  I  had  fallen 
in  love  with  my  Christian  master  and  had 
been  married  to  him.  My  father,  who 
was  a  sorcerer,  was  so  angry  that  he  had 
me  bewitched,  and  when  I  died  shortly 
after,  he  decreed  that  my  soul  should 
never  find  rest  until  some  St.  John's  Eve. 
At  that  time  he  declared  that  I  might  be 
spared  from  further  wandering,  if  I 
could  get  some  pure  maiden  to  kiss  me. 
Will  you  do  this  for  me?  I  have  been 
under  the  spell  so  long,  and  no  one  will 
assist  me." 

"I  will  do  what  I  can  to  help  you,  my 
poor  woman,"  said  Carmenita.  "I  am 
sure  that  one  so  beautiful  as  you  would 
not  wish  to  do  me  harm." 

"Thank  you,  dear  Senorita,"  said  the 

woman   gratefully.     "Hold   this   golden 

pitcher  tightly.     If  you  should  drop  it, 

we  would  both  meet  with  a  terrible  fate. 

[175] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

Do  not  say  a  word  or  utter  a  cry,  no  mat- 
ter what  may  happen.  Be  brave,  my 
dear  child,  and  heed  my  advice." 

Carmenita  took  the  pitcher  and  held  it 
firmly.  Suddenly  the  vault  darkened, 
and  the  beautiful  woman  turned  into  a 
black  ape.  Ere  long  the  apartment  was 
filled  with  grinning  apes  that  made  all 

sorts  of  weird  antics  and  chattered  noisily. 

.- 

The  pitcher  shook  in  the  girl's  hands,  but 
she  did  not  let  it  fall. 

But  the  worst  was  yet  to  come.  The 
vault  began  to  grow  still  darker  and  the 
apes  turned  into  dreadful  beings  with 
eyes  that  glowed  like  fire.  They  danced 
all  around,  as  if  mocking  her,  and  tried 
to  dash  the  pitcher  from  her  hands. 

Carmenita's  terror  had  reached  its 
height  when  slie  heard  from  above  the 
well-known  voice  of  Carlos,  calling  pite- 
ously: 

[174] 


ST.  JOHN'S  EVE 

"O  Carmenita — Carmenita!  Where 
are  you,  my  beautiful  darling!" 

The  pitcher  shook  harder  than  before, 
and  she  was  about  to  cry  out;  but  she  re- 
membered her  vow  and  held  fast.  For 
another  half  hour  she  stood,  suffering  un- 
told anxiety ;  then  the  vault  began  to  grow 
lighter  until  the  crystal  walls  gleamed 
forth  again  in  all  their  splendor.  By  her 
side  stood  the  beautiful  woman,  her  eyes 
half  closed. 

"Kiss  me,"  she  said  in  a  faint  voice. 
"Then  take  the  golden  pitcher  with  you, 
for  it  is  your  fortune.  Thank  you,  my 
brave  child.  May  your  life  be  long  and 
happy." 

Carmenita  kissed  her.  Immediately 
she  became  drowsy,  as  if  overcome  by  the 
odor  of  poppies,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
more  she  found  herself  lying  flat  upon 
her  back  at  the  spring  beside  the  two  cop- 

[175] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

per  jars.  In  her  hands  was  the  golden 
pitcher,  a  beautiful  vessel,  very  antique 
and  of  oriental  workmanship.  She  thrust 
her  hand  into  its  wide  mouth  and  drew 
forth  a  handful  of  glittering  gold  coins. 

With  a  happy  heart  she  pressed  it  to 
her  bosom  and  hurried  home,  forgetting 
all  about  the  jars  of  water.  Dawn  was 
just  breaking  and  the  village  had  not  yet 
broken  slumber. 

On  her  way  she  met  Carlos,  wan  with 
grief  and  suspense.  He  had  been  seek- 
ing her  all  night  long.  With  a  loud  cry 
he  clasped  her  in  his  arms,  and  for  a  long 
time  neither  could  say  a  word. 

When  they  reached  her  gate,  she  said: 
"Here  is  the  golden  pitcher  of  fortune 
that  I  found  in  the  mountains.  Now  we 
can  marry,  for  we  shall  have  all  the 
money  we  can  use,  and  plenty  to  give  to 
the  poor. 

[176] 


ST.  JOHN'S  EVE 

She  took  from  the  wide  mouth  of  the 
pitcher  handful  after  handful  of  gold 
coins  and  filled  his  pockets. 

Carlos  became  so  eager  that  he,  too, 
thrust  his  hand  into  the  pitcher,  but 
brought  out  nothing  but  a  handful  of 
pebbles. 

"I  understand,"  said  he  with  a  laugh; 
"no  one  but  the  pure  in  heart  can  derive 
any  blessing  from  the  golden  pitcher  of 
fortune.     It  belongs  to  you  alone." 

Before  high  noon  all  the  villagers  had 
heard  of  Carmenita's  good  luck,  and 
everyone  ^rejoiced  with  her.  When  Ju- 
anna  understood  that  her  niece  had  be- 
come the  richest  girl  in  the  world,  she  did 
everything  she  could  to  win  her  love. 

Soon  the  wedding  of  Carlos  and  Car- 
menita  took  place.     It  was  the  grandest 
aif  air  that  ever  had  occurred  in  the  Prov- 
ince of  Soria,  and  all  the  poor  people  in 
[177] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

the  land  rejoiced  over  the  beautiful  gifts 
that  the  generous  girl  gave  them  from  her 
pitcher  of  gold. 

But  they  say  that  Juanna,  who  desired 
money  above  all  things  else,  tried  to  steal 
the  pitcher,  and  consequently  was  made 
the  laughing-stock  of  the  place.  Scarce- 
ly had  she  concealed  it  under  her  shawl, 
when  millions  of  red  ants  came  pouring 
out  and  covered  her,  biting  her  till  she 
shrieked  with  pain,  and  dropped  the 
pitcher. 

Carlos  became  a  rich  silk  manufacturer 
in  Barcelona,  and  lived  for  many  years  in 
a  splendid  castle  with  his  beautiful  Car- 
menita,  whom  even  the  most  noble  gran- 
dees held  in  the  highest  esteem  and  rever- 
ence. 


[178] 


THE  PRINCESS  OF  TRONKO- 
LAINE 

A  FRENCH   FAIRY  TALE 

There  once  dwelt  in  France  a  coal 
man  who  was  the  father  of  twenty-five 
children.  He  was  a  "poor,  hard-working 
man,  but  he  was  honest  and  loyal  to  his 
King. 

He  had  just  finished  getting  his  chil- 
dren ready  for  winter  when  another  child 
was  born  to  him.  Instead  of  rejoicing, 
he  beat  his  breast  and  tore  his  hair  like  a 
mad  man. 

"What  shall  I  do?"  he  cried,  rushing 
out  upon  the  street.  "Now  I  have  twenty- 
six  children,  and  I  cannot  support  them." 

At  that  moment  the  King  came  riding 
[179] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

by.  The  coal  man,  crazed  with  grief, 
stopped  the  carriage  and  knelt  before  the 
King,  holding  up  his  hands  as  if  begging 
for  something. 

The  King  was  surprised  that  one  of  his 
humble  subjects  should  be  so  bold  as  to 
stop  him  on  the  public  thoroughfare;  but 
when  he  saw  that  the  coal  man  was  crying, 
his  pity  was  touched. 

"Here  is  some  money,"  said  the  King, 
throwing  some  coins  to  the  coal  man. 
"Take  it  and  make  yourself  comfortable." 

"No,  no,  your  JNIajesty,  I  do  not  crave 
gold!"  cried  the  coal  man. 

"Then  what  do  you  want?"  asked  the 
King  still  more  surprised. 

"I  want  you  to  be  godfather  to  my 
twenty-sixth  child,  a  son  born  this  morn- 
ing," returned  the  coal  man,  not  knowing 
what  he  was  saying. 

The  King  laughed  heartily  and  said : 

[180] 


THE  PRINCESS  OF  TRONKOLAINE 


THEN    WHAT   DO   YOU    WANT?"    ASKED   THE    KING 


[181] 


^AIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"What  a  fortunate  man  you  are  to  have 
twenty-six  children,  when  I,  your  King, 
would  be  happy  to  have  one.  Bring  the 
baby  to  church  to-morrow,  and  I  will  be 
his  godfather." 

The  coal  man  was  beside  himself  with 
joy.  When  he  told  his  good  wife  of  his 
conversation  with  the  King,  she  did  not 
believe  him. 

"Alas!  this  twenty-sixth  child  has 
turned  your  brain,"  she  said.  "How  will 
you  act  when  the  twenty-seventh  one  is 
born?" 

On  the  next  day  the  coal  man,  carry- 
ing his  twenty-sixth  child,  and  followed 
by  all  the  others,  entered  the  King's 
church  and  marched  up  to  the  altar. 
There  he  was  met  by  the  King,  who  be- 
came the  godfather  of  the  boy  and  named 
him  Louis, 

[182] 


THE  PRINCESS  OF  TRONKOLAINE 

"Here  is  a  bag  of  gold  to  be  used  in 
educating  my  godchild,"  said  the  King, 
giving  the  coal  man  more  money  than  the 
poor  soul  had  ever  dreamed  of  seeing. 
"Send  him  to  school  as  soon  as  he  reaches 
the  age  of  ten,  and  when  he  is  eighteen, 
send  him  to  my  court  in  Paris.  Here  is 
half  of  a  gold  coin,  which  he  must  bring 
with  him  to  prove  that  he  is  my  godchild. 
I  will  keep  the  other  half." 

The  coal  man  took  the  half  coin,  and, 
falling  upon  his  knees,  thanked  his  sov- 
ereign for  the  great  honor  he  had  be- 
stowed upon  him  and  his  youngest  child. 

Louis  was  educated  as  the  King  had  re- 
quested, and  at  eighteen  he  set  out  for 
Paris,  riding  upon  an  old  horse  that  had 
done  nothing  but  haul  coal  for  many 
years. 

While  making  his  way  over  the  loose 

[183] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

cobblestones  of  a  street  in  the  outskirts 
of  the  city,  he  met  an  old  woman  that 
looked  like  a  witch. 

"Good  morning,  Godchild  of  the 
King,"  said  she. 

Louis  was  too  much  surprised  to  reply. 

"You  will  soon  come  to  a  spring  at  the 
roadside,"  she  continued.  "Some  one  will 
want  you  to  get  down  from  your  horse 
to  quench  your  thirst,  but  you  must  not 
heed  him." 

Louis  thanked  her  for  her  advice,  and 
rode  on ;  but  hardly  had  he  gone  a  hundred 
yards  when  a  rough  boy  in  dirty  garments 
cried  out: 

"Good  morning.  Godchild  of  the  King. 
Pray  get  down  from  your  horse  and 
quench  your  thirst  at  this  spring;  the 
water  is  delicious." 

Louis  was  very  thirsty,  but  he  did  not 
dare  disobey  the  witch.     Finally  the  rough 

[184] 


THE  PRINCESS  OF  TRONKOLAINE 


HE    MET  AN   OLD  WOMAN  THAT  LOOKED  LIKE   A   WITCH 


[185] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

boy,  after  coaxing  for  a  long  time,  told 
him  that  he  had  been  his  classmate  at 
school  years  before  and  no  harm  could 
come  of  their  drinking  together.  Louis 
did  not  want  to  be  rude,  so  he  got  down 
from  his  horse  and  bent  over  the  spring 
to  take  a  drink. 

Quick  as  a  flash  the  rough  boy  took 
away  Louis'  pocketbook,  which  contained 
the  half  coin  the  King  had  given  him, 
and  with  a  loud  cry  pushed  Louis  head 
first  into  the  bubbling  spring.  Then  he 
mounted  Louis'  horse  and  rode  to  the 
King's  court  as  fast  as  he  could  go. 

The  godchild  of  the  King  soon  got  out 
of  the  spring,  and  stood  shivering  and 
dripping  by  the  roadside.  He  was  very 
sorry  he  had  not  taken  the  advice  of  the 
old  woman;  but,  being  a  brave  youngster, 
he  trudged  on  till  he  reached  the  King's 
palace. 

[186] 


THE  PRINCESS  OF  TRONKOLAINE 

What  was  his  disappointment  to  see 
the  King  shaking  hands  with  the  rough 
boy,  and  giving  him  his  blessing. 

"I  am  your  godchild!  I  am  your  god- 
child!" cried  poor  Louis,  rushing  between 
them.  "This  lad  stole  the  half  coin  you 
gave  me." 

"He  is  but  a  poor  country  fellow  I  met 
on  my  way  to  the  palace,"  said  the  rough 
boy.  "Do  not  pay  heed  to  what  he  says, 
for  he  cannot  speak  the  truth." 

"I  will  give  you  work  about  the  stables," 
said  the  King,  turning  to  Louis ;"  but  you 
must  not  associate  with  my  godchild  here, 
for  he  is  to  be  King  some  day  and  must 
not  spend  his  time  with  street  urchins  like 
you." 

He  took  Louis  to  the  stables  and  gave 
him  a  menial  position.  Then  he  took  the 
rough  boy  to  the  palace  and  dressed  him 
[187] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

in  elegant  clothes.  You  may  imagine 
how  grieved  Louis  was,  but  he  made  up 
his  mind  to  be  brave  and  to  trust  to  Prov- 
idence. He  set  to  work  cleaning  the  sta- 
bles, while  the  rough  boy  arrayed  himself 
in  his  new  finery  and  prepared  to  meet  the 
King's  court  at  dinner. 

Days  passed  by,  and  finally  the  rough 
boy  became  uneasy  lest  Louis  would  con- 
vince the  King  that  he  was  mistaken  in 
his  godchild,  so  he  began  to  use  deceit  in 
order  to  get  rid  of  Louis. 

"Godfather,"  said  the  rough  boy  one 
morning,"  your  stable  boy  brags  so  much 
that  I  can  hardly  bear  to  see  himl" 

"What  is  he  bragging  about?"  asked 
the  King. 

"Only  to-day  he  boasted  that  he  would 
go  to  ask  the  Sun  why  he  is  so  red  when 
he  rises  in  the  morning." 

[188] 


THE  PRINCESS  OF  TRONKOLAINE 

The  King  laughed  heartily,  for  he  be- 
lieved that  the  new  stable  boy  was  weak- 
minded. 

"I  will  cure  him  of  his  boasting,"  he 
said.  "I  will  order  him  to  begone  at  once 
and  find  out  why  the  Sun  is  so  red  when 
he  rises  in  the  morning;  I  am  really  cu- 
rious to  know  about  it." 

Louis,  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  declared 
that  he  had  never  made  such  a  foolish 
statement;  but  in  spite  of  his  pleadings 
the  King  ordered  him  to  visit  the  Sun. 

Louis  wandered  slowly  along  until  he 
came  to  the  seashore  where  he  met  an  old 
man  with  a  long  white  beard. 

"Where  are  you  going,  my  boy?"  asked 
the  old  man. 

"I  am  sure  I  do  not  know,"  replied 

Louis  sadly.     "I  was  told  that  under  pain 

of  death  I  should  find  out  from  the  Sun 

why  he  is  so  red  when  he  rises  in  the  morn- 

[189] 


y 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

ing;  but  I  do  not  know  how  to  get  to  the 
Sun." 

"I  will  help  you,"  said  the  old  man,  who 
was  a  great  magician.  "Take  this 
wooden  horse.  It  will  rise  in  the  air  at 
your  command  and  carry  you  to  the  foot 
of  a  great  mountain,  on  the  summit  of 
which  is  the  castle  of  the  Sun.  Leave  the 
horse  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  and 
climb  to  the  castle." 

Louis  mounted  the  queer-looking 
wooden  horse  that  the  old  man  gave  him, 
and  began  to  rise  rapidly,  far  above  the 
earth,  until  he  reached  a  great  blue  space 
filled  with  stars  and  other  heavenly  bod- 
ies. Then  it  began  to  grow  brighter  and 
brighter  until  Louis  could  scarcely  see  at 
all.  At  last  the  wooden  horse  stopped  at 
the  base  of  a  mountain.  Louis  dis- 
mounted and  climbed  to  the  castle  of  the 
[190] 


THE  PRINCESS  OF  TRONKOLAINE 

Sun,  which  was  covered  with  diamonds 
and  other  precious  stones.  A  woman  met 
him  at  the  door. 

"Is  my  lord,  the  Sun,  at  home?"  asked 
Louis. 

"Nay,  my  boy;  but  he  will  return  soon. 
Won't  you  come  in?"  said  the  woman. 

Louis  entered  the  great  hall  and  sat 
down  to  rest.  In  a  short  time  the  Sun 
opened  the  door  and  showed  his  big,  red 
face.  Some  writers  say  that  he  was  very 
anxious  to  eat  Louis,  and  that  the  good 
woman  threatened  to  whip  him  if  he  did 
any  harm  to  the  boy;  but  most  folk-lore 
students  agree  that  the  Sun  is  far  too 
good-natured  to  harm  a  boy  that  went  so 
far  to  visit  him. 

"What  do  you  want?"  asked  the  Sun. 

"The  King  of  France  sent  me  to  ask 
you  why  you  look  so  red  when  you  rise 
[191] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

in  the  morning?"  asked  Louis,  almost  as 
red  as  the  Sun  because  of  his  embarrass- 
ment. 

"Because  the  castle  of  the  Princess  of 
Tronkolaine  is  near  here,  and  she  is  so 
beautiful  that  I  have  to  show  myself  in 
all  my  splendor  so  as  not  to  be  surpassed 
by  her,"  answered  the  Sun. 

Louis  thanked  him  for  his  kindness 
and,  after  going  down  the  mountain, 
mounted  his  wooden  horse  and  descended 
to  the  earth.  In  a  short  time  he  found 
himself  before  the  stables  of  the  King 
of  France.  The  wooden  horse  disap- 
peared. 

Louis  hastened  to  the  King  and  told 
him  why  the  Sun  was  so  red  when  he  rose 
in  the  morning.  The  King  smiled  and 
seemed  to  be  satisfied  with  the  boy's  an- 
swer. 

On  the  following  day  the  rough  boy, 
[192] 


THE  PRINCESS  OF  TRONKOLAINE 

wishing  to  do  Louis  more  harm,  went  to 
the  King,  and  said: 

"Godfather,  I  cannot  longer  endure  the 
boasting  of  your  new  stable  boy." 

"What  has  he  been  saying?"  asked  the 
King. 

"He  boasts  that  he  will  bring  the  Prin- 
cess Tronkolaine  to  the  court  of  France 
to  be  your  wife,"  answered  the  rough  boy. 

"He  must  do  it  then  or  death  will  be 
his  portion!"  cried  the  King,  who  at  once 
was  seized  with  a  desire  to  marry  the  beau- 
tiful princess. 

Forthwith  he  went  to  the  stables  and 
commanded  Louis  to  bring  the  Princess 
Tronkolaine  to  his  palace  to  become  his 
wife,  or  else  lose  his  head. 

Poor  Louis,  more  disheartened  than 
ever,  set  forth  again,  not  knowing  whither 
he  went.  As  before  he  met  the  old  magi- 
cian, who  said: 

[193] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"Good  morning,  my  boy.  Why  do  you 
look  so  sad?" 

"The  King  of  France  has  sent  me  to 
bring  the  Princess  Tronkolaine  to  his 
court  to  be  his  wife,"  repHed  Louis. 

"That  can  be  easily  done,  if  you  follow 
my  directions,'*  said  the  magician.  "Go 
tell  the  King  to  have  a  ship  loaded  with 
wheat,  bacon,  beef,  and  other  provisions, 
to  distribute  among  the  kings  of  the  ants, 
sparrow-hawks,  and  lions,  which  you  shall 
meet.  If  you  feast  them,  they  will  be 
useful  to  you.  Set  sail  at  once,  and  the 
fairies  will  guide  your  ship  to  the  coast 
of  Tronkolaine." 

Louis  returned  to  the  King  and  asked 
for  a  ship  loaded  with  wheat,  bacon,  beef, 
and  other  provisions.  At  first  the  King 
refused  him,  but  seeing  how  earnest  the 
boy  was,  he  gave  him  what  he  desired. 

"Come  not  back  without  the  Princess 

[194] 


THE  PRINCESS  OF  TRONKOLAINE 

Tronkolaine  or  death  will  be  your  por- 
tion," were  the  King's  last  words. 

The  old  magician  was  at  the  seashore 
when  Louis  went  aboard  his  ship,  and  gave 
him  a  white  stick  which  he  said  would  in- 
sure him  favorable  winds  and  a  safe  voy- 
age. 

No  sooner  was  the  ship  beyond  the  sight 
of  land  than  she  began  to  move  as  sWif tly 
as  a  chain  of  lightning.  In  a  very  short 
time  she  stopped  at  an  enchanted  island 
of  matchless  loveliness.  In  its  centre  was 
a  magnificent  castle  surrounded  with 
trees.  Never  before  had  Louis  seen  such 
an  ideal  country. 

He  jumped  ashore  and  hastened  to  the 
castle,  meeting  no  one  on  the  way.  In 
the  stone  court  was  a  large  fountain,  by 
the  side  of  which  he  saw  a  beautiful 
woman.  She  was  combing  out  her  long 
golden  hair  with  an  ivory  comb. 
[195] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 


"Welcome,  Louis,  Godson  of  the  King 
of   France,"   she   said,   smiling   sweetly. 

"I  have  been  wait- 
ing for  you.  I  am 
the  Princess  of 
Tronkolaine." 

She  rose  and  led 
him  to  a  banquet- 
ing room  where  she 
served  him  with 
choice  meats  and 
fruits.  The  Prin- 
cess was  so  enter- 
taining and  so 
wonderfully  beau- 
tiful that  Louis 
stayed  at  her  castle 
two  weeks  before 
asking  if  she  would 
go  with  him  to  the  court  of  the  King  of 
France. 

[196] 


SHE     WAS    COMBIKO    OUT    HER 
LOKO   OOLDEX    HAIR 


THE  PRINCESS  OF  TRONKOLAINE 

"I  will  go  anywhere  with  you,  Louis," 
she  said,  "but  I  can't  leave  until  you  do 
some  work  for  me." 

"What  shall  I  do?"  asked  Louis. 

She  led  him  to  her  stables  and  showed 
him  an  immense  pile  of  mixed  grain. 

"Here  is  a  pile  of  wheat,  rye,  and  bar- 
ley," said  she.     "I  want  them  all  sepa-  \ 
rated  into  three  piles  by  sunset.     If  they 
are  all  properly  sorted,  grain  by  grain, 
I  will  go  with  you  to  the  court  of  France." 

The  Princess  went  away,  and  Louis  sat 
down  to  think  out  a  way  to  do  the  work. 
He  seized  the  white  stick  the  old  magi- 
cian had  given  him,  and  immediately  the 
king  of  the  ants  appeared. 

"If  you  will  give  me  wheat  for  my  peo- 
ple, I  will  separate  the  grain  for  you," 
said  the  ant. 

"If  you  will  separate  this  grain  into 
three  piles  before  sunset,  I  will  give  you 
[197] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

all  the  wheat  in  my  ship,"  said  Louis  filled 
with  joy. 

In  less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell  it,  thou- 
sands of  ants  began  to  separate  the  grain, 
and  Louis,  as  he  had  promised,  went  to  the 
ship  and  got  the  grain  for  the  king  of  the 
ants. 

When  the  Princess  Tronkolaine  re- 
turned to  the  granary  and  saw  the  ce- 
reals divided  into  three  heaps,  she  was  very 
much  astonished. 

"Now  you  will  surely  go  with  me  to  the 
court  of  France,  fair  Princess  1"  cried 
Louis,  much  delighted. 

"There  is  another  duty  that  you  must 
first  perform,"  said  the  Princess,  who  had 
been  sorting  over  the  rye  to  see  that  no 
other  grains  were  mixed  with  it,  "I  will 
tell  you  about  it  to-morrow." 

On  the  next  day  she  gave  him  a  small 
wooden  ax,  and  led  him  to  a  broad  oak 
[198] 


THE  PRINCESS  OF  TRONKOLAINE 

avenue  leading  to  the  rear  of  the  cas- 
tle. 

"You  must  cut  down  all  these  trees  by- 
sunset, "  she  said  as  she  walked  away. 

Louis  thought  it  a  great  pity  to  cut 
down  the  great  trees  that  looked  as  though 
they  had  been  growing  there  for  centu- 
ries. He  also  saw  how  impossible  it  was 
for  him  to  cut  them  down  with  a  toy  ax. 
But  just  at  the  right  time  the  king  of  the 
lions  came  along. 

"I  will  cut  down  the  oak  trees  for  you, 
if  you  will  give  me  plenty  of  beef,"  said 
the  lion  king. 

*'If  you  and  your  subjects  will  cut  down 
the  trees  by  sunset,  I  will  give  you  all  the 
beef  my  ship  contains,"  replied  Louis  joy- 
fully. 

In  a  twinkling  all  the  lions  and  lionesses 
of  the  jungle  appeared  and  began  to 
gnaw  down  the  oaks.  By  sunset  the  en- 
[199] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

tire  avenue  of  trees  had  been  leveled  to 
the  ground. 

The  Princess  Tronkolaine  came  to  see 
how  Louis  had  succeeded  and  was  more 
astonished  than -before. 

"Now  you  surely  will  go  with  me  to  the 
court  of  France,  beautiful  Princess 
Tronkolaine!"  cried  Louis,  dancing  and 
laughing  for  joy. 

"I  have  one  more  task  for  you  to  do," 
she  rephed  gravely.  "If  you  will  per- 
form it,  I  will  pledge  my  word  that  I  will 
go  with  you  to  the  court  of  France.  To- 
morrow I  will  tell  you  about  it." 

On  the  morrow  the  Princess  Tronko- 
laine went  to  Louis  and  said : 

"Yonder  mountain  stands  before  my 
palace,  making  it  impossible  for  me  to  see 
the  ocean.  I  want  you  to  cause  the  moun- 
tain to  disappear;  the  task  must  be  done 
by  sunset." 

[200] 


THE  PRINCESS  OF  TRONKOLAINE 


f^^^d' 


THE    KING   OF  THE    SPARIIOW    HAWKS   APPEARED 

[201] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

The  Princess  Tronkolaine  withdrew, 
and  Louis  sat  down  for  a  time,  hoping 
that  some  good  fairy  would  advise  him 
what  to  do.  He  happened  to  touch  the 
white  stick  again,  and  the  king  of  the 
sparrow-hawks  appeared. 

"I  will  have  the  mountain  removed,  if 
you  will  give  me  a  large  quantity  of  ba- 
con," said  the  sparrow-hawk. 

"You  may  have  all  the  bacon  my  ship 
contains,  and  welcome,  if  you  will  remove 
the  peak  of  yonder  mountain  so  it  will  not 
spoil  the  Princess  Tronkolaine's  view  of 
the  ocean,"  said  Louis  eagerly. 

Immediately  millions  of  sparrow-hawks 
flew  overhead  like  a  dense  black  cloud. 
They  settled  down  upon  the  mountain, 
and  with  their  beaks  and  claws  tore  away 
the  dirt  and  stones  until  it  was  as  flat  as 
the  seashore. 

The  Princess  Tronkolaine  returned  at 

[202] 


THE  PRINCESS  OF  TRONKOLAINE 

sunset,  and  was  more  astonished  than 
ever. 

"You  have  not  your  equal  on  earth, 
Prince  Louis,"  she  said.  "I  will  follow 
you  wherever  you  wish  me  to  go,  for  I 
shall  be  proud  to  be  the  companion  of  one 
so  great  as  you.  To-morrow  we  shall  set 
sail  for  France." 

On  the  following  morning  Louis  took 
his  white  stick,  and,  before  the  enchanted 
island  was  astir,  he  and  the  Princess 
Tronkolaine  set  sail  for  France.  Hardly 
had  they  entered  the  vessel  when  the  Prin- 
cess threw  the  key  to  her  castle  into  the 
water. 

After  a  voyage  that  seemed  all  too 
short,  they  arrived  at  France.  The  first 
one  to  meet  them  was  the  old  magician, 
who  was  much  pleased  when  he  saw  Louis 
and  the  beautiful  Princess  from  the  en- 
chanted island.     He  gave  them  his  bless- 

[203] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

ing  and  said  that  their  lives  would  be 
useful  and  happy. 

The  palace  was  wild  with  excitement 
when  the  King  and  his  courtiers  learned 
that  the  stable  boy  had  returned  with  the 
wealthiest  and  most  beautiful  princess  in 
the  universe — one  whom  even  the  Sun  en- 
vied. 

The  King  attired  himself  in  his  costli- 
est robe  and  ascended  his  throne,  the 
rough  boy,  or  false  godchild,  standing  be- 
side him,  almost  as  gorgeously  dressed. 

Before  long  the  Princess  Tronkolaine 
entered  in  a  dazzling  gown,  costly  jewels 
sparkUng  in  her  hair  and  upon  her  shapely 
arms.  She  was  led  by  Louis,  who  was 
the  handsomest  young  man  in  all  the 
world,  in  garments  more  elegant  than 
those  worn  by  the  King. 

As  soon  as  the  King  saw  the  Princess, 
he  was  foolish  with  love  of  her.     Instead 

[204] 


THE  PRINCESS  OF  TRONKOLAINE 

of  waiting  for  her  to  kneel  to  him,  he 
jumped  from  his  throne  and  bowed  before 
her,  begging  her  to  be  his  wife. 

"What!  marry  an  old  man  like  you?" 
she  asked,  drawing  back.  "I  wish  to 
marry  your  godson,  for  he  is  the  only  man 
great  enough  to  wed  one  of  the  House  of 
Tronkolaine.  Here  is  your  godson.  He 
was  once  your  stableboy — shame  to  you! 
The  false  creature  that  stands  by  your 
side  is  a  demon.  Cast  him  into  prison  at 
once,  for  he  has  deceived  you  and  has 
made  your  real  godson  very  unhappy." 

Without  asking  any  questions,  the  King 
ordered  the  rough  boy  to  be  carried  off 
to  prison,  where  later  he  met  a  terrible 
fate. 

The  King  begged  his  stable  boy's  par- 
don, and  again  asked  the  Princess  to  be 
his  wife ;  but  she  said  that  she  would  have 
no  husband  but  Louis. 

[  205  ] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

Accordingly,  the  King  consented  to 
their  marriage,  and  planned  a  week  of 
feasting  and  rejoicing.  Never  before  or 
since  has  the  court  of  France  been  so  gay. 

In  a  short  time  the  King  died,  and  his 
godson  Louis  came  to  the  throne.  He 
at  once  sent  for  his  parents  and  his 
twenty-five  brothers  and  sisters,  and  gave 
them  important  positions  in  court.  He 
and  the  Princess  Tronkolaine  ruled  for 
many  years,  and  their  lives  were  useful 
and  happy,  just  as  the  old  magician  had 
prophesied. 


[206] 


THE  TIDE  JEWELS 

A  JAPANESE  MYTH. 

One  of  the  cleverest  women  that  ever 
lived  in  Japan,  the  "Land  of  the  Gods," 
was  the  Empress  Jingu,  She  was  so  tact- 
ful that  all  the  gods  of  the  earth,  the  sea, 
and  the  heavens  became  her  friends  and 
blest  her  with  magical  gifts. 

She  was  also  very  beautiful,  for  it  is 
said  that  her  face  was  oval  like  the  seed 
of  a  melon,  her  nose  was  aquiline,  her 
eyes  were  dark  and  almond-shaped,  her 
eye-lashes  were  long  and  silky,  her  hair 
was  black  and  luxuriant,  and  her  lips  were 
full  and  rosy. 

Her  husband,  who  was  the  Fourteenth 
Mikado,  was  very  proud  of  her;  but  he 

[  207] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

had  very  strong  ideas  of  his  own  that 
Jingu  could  not  control.  In  fact  he  al- 
ways opposed  her  in  every  discussion  that 
came  up  between  them. 

One  time  a  rebellion  broke  out  among 
the  natives,  and  the  Mikado  himself  went 
with  the  army  to  engage  in  battle.  The 
Empress  Jingu  went  along,  and  with  her 
maids  spent  the  time  in  a  large  tent  at 
the  edge  of  the  battlefield.  Her  husband 
had  ordered  the  tent  to  be  hung  with  cur- 
tains of  silk  and  gold,  and  the  ground 
was  covered  with  costly  Oriental  rugs. 

One  night,  as  Jingu  lay  sleeping  in  her 
elegant  apartment,  a  vision  came  to  her 
that  filled  her  with  wonder.  It  seemed 
that  a  beautiful  being,  surrounded  with 
a  halo  of  silvery  light,  stood  at  her  bedside. 
Jingu  rubbed  her  eyes  and  sat  up,  to  be 
sure  that  she  was  not  dreaming. 

"Fear  not.  Empress,"  said  the  radiant 

[208] 


THE  TIDE  JEWELS 

visitor.  "Thou  hast  the  courage  of  a 
man,  and  thou  alone  canst  perform  deeds 
that  will  some  day  make  Japan  the  great- 
est nation  on  earth.  There  is  a  land  not 
far  to  the  west  that  thy  people  have  never 
seen.  If  thou  wilt  invade  it,  thou  wilt 
become  rich  with  gold,  silver,  jewels,  and 
silk.  But  first  thou  must  get  from  the 
Great  Dragon  King  of  the  World,  whose 
castle  is  in  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  his  two 
precious  tide  jewels.  Tell  thy  husband  to 
cease  fighting  at  home,  and  to  go  to  con- 
quer Corea." 

The  silvery  vision  died  away  into  a  pur- 
ple cloud  and  disappeared.  Jingu  was 
so  much  impressed  by  the  wonderful  rev- 
elation that  she  went  to  see  the  Mikado 
at  daybreak. 

When  he  heard  her  story,  he  laughed 
till  the  tears  ran  down  his  cheeks. 

"Thou  hast  been  dreaming,"  he  said. 

[209] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"What  do  we  care  about  Corea?  I  doubt 
if  there  is  any  such  country." 

"I  was  not  dreaming,"  persisted  Jingu. 
"Pray,  good  husband,  stop  this  senseless 
war  and  join  all  thy  friends  and  foes  to- 
gether that  they  may  go  to  this  land  of 
wonderful  wealth." 

The  Mikado  climbed  a  tree  close  by  and 
strained  his  eyes  to  look  at  the  western 
horizon. 

"There  is  no  country  in  the  west  called 
Corea,  as  I  cannot  see  it,"  he  said  with 
his  usual  stubbornness ;  for  he  did  not  be- 
heve  anything  existed  unless  he  could  see 
it. 

"Heed  the  words  of  the  Divine  IMessen- 
ger,  and  let  us  be  off,"  insisted  Jingu. 

But  the  Mikado  only  set  his  teeth  firmly 
together  and  walked  away.  Jingu  re- 
turned to  her  tent  and  wept  bitterly. 

That  day  a  great  battle  occurred,  in 

[210] 


THE  TIDE  JEWELS 

which  the  Mikado  lost  his  life.  The  Em- 
press was  filled  with  grief,  and  lamented 
because  her  husband  had  not  heeded  her 
advice. 

All  the  Japanese  generals  and  captains 
declared  their  loyalty  to  the  Empress 
Jingu,  and  hailed  her  as  their  chief  ruler. 

No  sooner  had  she  assumed  control  of 
affairs  than  she  at  once  planned  to  con- 
quer Corea.  All  her  soldiers  were  eager 
to  go  to  that  mysterious  land  and  enrich 
themselves  with  the  spoils  they  were  sure 
to  obtain. 

One  morning  the  Empress  Jingu  put 
on  her  costliest  gown  and  most  splendid 
jewels  and  went  down  to  the  seashore, 
where  she  called  upon  all  the  gods  of  the 
mountains,  the  sea,  the  rivers,  and  the 
plains. 

They  appeared,  and  promised  to  grant 
her    a    safe    and    successful    expedition. 

[211] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

The  gods  of  the  mountains  gave  her  iron 
and  timber  to  build  ships,  the  gods  of  the 
grasses  gave  her  heavy  cordage,  the  gods 
of  the  fields  gave  her  rice  and  other  cere- 
als, and  the  gods  of  the  winds  promised 
to  open  and  fill  the  sails  of  her  vessels. 

But  Isora,  the  god  of  the  seashore,  did 
not  appear.  Again  and  again  she  called 
upon  him,  and  set  up  torches  to  attract 
him.  Isora,  who  was  very  lazy  and  slov- 
enly, finally  rose  from  the  bottom  of  the 
sea,  covered  with  mud  and  slime,  and  with 
shells  and  seaweed  in  his  hair. 

"What  do  you  want?"  he  asked  sleepily 
as  well  as  ungraciously. 

"I  command  you  to  go  to  the  Great 
Dragon  King  of  the  World,  whose  palace 
is  in  the  bottom  of  the  sea,"  said  Jingu. 
"Tell  him  that  I  must  have  his  two  tide 
jewels,  which  I  will  return  when  I  am 

[212] 


THE  TIDE  JEWELS 


ISOHA    VANISHED    BUT    SOOX    RETUENED    WITH    A    CASKET 


[213] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

done  with  them.  Fetch  them  to  me  at 
once." 

Isora  vanished,  but  soon  returned  with 
a  casket.  Jingu  opened  it  and  discovered 
two  precious  stones  shaped  like  apricots. 
They  were  very  brilliant,  and  in  each,  three 
rings  had  been  cut  near  the  top.  One 
was  the  ebb-tide  and  the  other  the  flood- 
tide  jewel.  She  placed  them  in  her  gir- 
dle, never  before  so  much  filled  with  grat- 
ification. 

At  last  she  set  out  with  three  thousand 
barges  to  conquer  Corea.  The  voyage 
was  a  most  delightful  one,  for  it  is  said 
that  the  wind  gods  sent  sharks  and  whales 
to  push  the  vessels  along,  and  to  bear 
them  up  whenever  the  water  was  rough. 

But  the  Coreans  had  heard  that  the 
Japanese  were  coming  to  conquer  and  rob 
them,  and  their  fleet  was  in  the  harbor 
ready  to  meet  them.     However,  the  Em- 

[214] 


THE  TIDE  JEWELS 

press  Jingu  only  laughed  when  she  saw 
their  tri-angular  banners  with  their  heavy 
fringes,  and  sailed  boldly  ahead. 

When  they  were  within  shouting  dis- 
tance, she  posted  all  her  archers  in  the 
bows  of  the  vessels,  and  told  them  to  wait 
patiently  until  she  gave  them  a  signal  to 
open  fire. 

The  Corean  galleys  began  to  advance, 
almost  side  by  side;  but  when  their  arch- 
ers were  ready  to  shoot,  the  Empress 
Jingu  took  from  her  girdle  the  flashing 
ebb-tide  jewel  and  cast  it  into  the  sea.  No 
sooner  had  it  touched  the  water  than  the 
sea  seemed  to  dry  up.  The  Corean  gal- 
leys were  all  stranded,  and  great  was  the 
commotion  that  followed. 

"It  is  a  tidal  wave!"  cried  the  King  of 
Corea,  who  was  in  the  largest  vessel. 
"There  is  no  water  to  be  seen  anywhere. 
Now  is  the  time  to  charge  upon  our  foes, 

[215] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

for  doubtless  they  are  more  confused  than 
we." 

Forthwith,  the  Corean  soldiers  hastened 
from  the  galleys  and  advanced  to  board 
the  Japanese  vessels.  But  the  Empress 
Jingu  took  from  her  girdle  the  flood-tide 
jewel  and  threw  it  overboard. 

Great  waves  as  high  as  mountains 
sprang  up  and  destroyed  the  Corean 
army,  only  a  few  of  them  being  able  to 
swim  ashore. 

"]\Iy  plan  has  indeed  worked  well," 
said  the  Empress  Jingu ;"  but  I  wish  that 
the  Great  Dragon  King  of  the  World 
would  send  back  the  tide  jewels  to  me,  that 
I  might  always  keep  them  in  my  girdle." 

The  Japanese  army  landed,  conquered 
Corea,  and  filled  the  three  thousand  barges 
with  gold,  silver,  jewels,  and  precious 
stones.  Before  returning  to  Japan  they 
gave  Jingu  a  great  reception,  at  which 
[216]. 


THE  TIDE  JEWELS 

they  named  her  "Daughter  of  the  Gods," 

But  the  ambitious  woman  was  not  sat- 
isfied. She  wanted  her  little  son  to  pos- 
sess the  tide  jewels  that  he  might  conquer 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth  when  he  be- 
came a  man. 

Accordingly  she  bade  her  prime  minis- 
ter put  on  his  robes  of  state  and  take  the 
baby  out  upon  the  water,  then  call  forth 
the  Great  Dragon  King  of  the  World 
and  ask  him  for  the  jewels  she  so  much 
desired. 

The  prime  minister,  carrying  the  little 
boy,  went  out  on  one  of  the  barges,  and 
shouted : 

"Come  forth,  Great  Dragon  King  of 
the  World,  from  thy  palace  in  the  bot- 
tom of  the  sea!  Behold  the  future  Mi- 
kado of  Japan!  Give  unto  him  the  tide 
jewels  that  have  made  our  country  fa- 
mous. Grant  that  year  by  year  our  lovely 
[217] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

land  shall  grow  and  prosper,  until  some 
day  she  shall  be  the  greatest  nation  in  all 
the  world." 

For  a  time  there  was  no  answer.  Then 
they  saw  through  the  dull  green  waves  two 
fiery  eyes  glowing  brighter  and  brighter. 
At  last  a  great  dragon  with  glittering 
scales  appeared;  but  it  proved  to  be  only 
the  living  crest  of  the  Great  Dragon 
King  of  the  World  himself,  who  was  of 
enormous  size,  but  handsome  and  grace- 
ful. 

He  gave  to  the  prime  minister  the  two 
tide  jewels  reposing  in  a  haliotis  shell. 

"Take  these  jewels  quickly,"  he  said, 
"for  I  do  not  desire  to  remain  long  in 
this  upper  world  of  mortals.  Japan  is 
the  Divine  Country,  and  it  is  fitting  that 
the  Imperial  Prince,  of  the  heavenly  line 
of  Mikados,  should  receive  them.  He 
shall  have  a  long  and  useful  life.     To 

[218] 


THE  TIDE  JEWELS 

him  and  his  countrymen  shall  come  power 
over  land  and  sea." 

The  great  being  then  vanished,  while 
the  waters  splashed  and  roared,  drenching 
the  entire  land. 

Great  was  the  happiness  of  the  Em- 
press Jingu,  who  lived  to  see  her  son  be- 
come a  wise  and  good  Mikado.  He  lived 
to  be  111  years  old,  and  prophesied  con- 
cerning the  future  greatness  of  Japan, 
the  "Land  of  the  Gods." 

To  this  day  there  are  Japanese  soldiers 
that  honor  him  as  the  patron  of  war,  and 
pray  to  him  as  the  ruler  of  battle. 


[2191 


ELVES    OF    THE    RHINELAND 

A  GERMAN  FAIRY  TALE 

Martin  and  Brigitta  were  a  thrifty 
couple  that,  by  dint  of  hard  work,  had 
won  for  themselves  a  comfortable  liveli- 
hood. 

They  rented  from  an  old  nobleman  a 
fertile  piece  of  land  in  northern  Germany, 
which  yielded  them  each  year  an  abundant 
harvest.  They  lived  in  a  white  frame 
house  on  top  of  a  hill,  and  felt  quite  safe 
from  danger.  On  one  side  of  the  hill 
was  a  vineyard;  on  the  other,  a  garden  of 
beautiful  flowers ;  while  at  the  foot  of  the 
hill  on  all  sides  was  a  cherry  orchard. 
A  high  white  fence  surrounded  their  es- 
tate. 

[220] 


ELVES  OF  THE  RHINELAND 

From  their  home  on  top  of  the  hill  they 
could  get  a  good  view  of  the  forest;  but 
no  one  in  the  neighborhood  would  set  foot 
inside  of  this  great  wilderness,  for  a  band 
of  gypsies  that  stole  live  stock  and  did  all 
sorts  of  mischief,  lived  on  its  outskirts 
in  dingy  shanties.  No  one  ventured  near 
them,  although  they  could  not  keep  from 
hearing  the  barking  of  their  big  dogs  at  all 
hours. 

Martin  and  Brigitta  were  indeed  happy 
when  a  little  daughter  came  to  help  them 
enjoy  their  prosperity.  She  was  such  a 
sweet  and  lovable  little  creature  that  they 
named  her  Mary.  Although  she  was  as 
bright  and  active  as  any  child  in  the  land, 
she  did  not  grow  as  fast  as  most  children 
do. 

One  day,  when  Mary  was  not  more  than 
eight  years  old,  something  happened  that 
caused  her  parents  great  sorrow. 

[221] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

She  was  playing  in  the  orchard  with  a 
neighbor  boy  named  Andres,  picking  the 
crimson  cherries  and  shouting  merrily, 
when  her  companion  said  to  her: 

"Let  us  run  a  race  to  that  large  pine 
tree  that  stands  on  the  hill  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  away." 

"We  must  not  do  that,"  replied  Mary. 
"Never  have  I  been  beyond  this  fence, 
for  mother  is  afraid  that  the  bad  gypsies 
will  catch  me." 

"There  is  no  danger,"  declared  Andres 
with  the  air  of  a  boy  who  thinks  that  he 
knows  as  much  as  his  elders.  "If  you 
will  not  run  a  race,  I  shall  think  that  you 
were  afraid  I  might  have  beaten  you. 
Girls  are  not  good  runners,  as  a  rule ;  but 
you  are  as  swift  as  a  boy.     Let  us  try  it." 

Mary  for  a  long  time  had  longed  to 
get  beyond  the  fence,  so,  before  she  had 
time  to  think  twice  about  it,  she  replied: 

[222] 


ELVES  OF  THE  RHINELAND 

"I  will  beat  you ;  for  no  clumsy  boy  can 
beat  a  girl  running,  when  she  tries  her 
best." 

Laughing  merrily,  they  unlatched  the 
high  gate  and  went  out  upon  the  highway. 
In  a  few  moments  they  were  running  to- 
wards the  big  pine  tree.  But  Mary  soon 
found  herself  far  behind,  as  Andres  kept 
gaining  with  each  step  that  he  took. 

When  she  came  to  the  bridge,  a  dog 
barked  at  her.  Then  she  thought  of  the 
gypsies,  and  grew  very  much  frightened. 
She  did  not  stay  in  the  main  road,  but 
turning  to  the  left,  soon  found  herself  in 
the  great  forest. 

Instead  of  meeting  a  band  of  gypsies 
she  saw  a  beautiful  sight  that  always  re- 
mained fresh  in  her  memory. 

Scores  of  lovely  children  with  bright 
golden  hair,  and  eyes  of  blue,  brown,  and 
hazel,  were  running  about  in  a  garden  of 

[223] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

flowers.  Red  and  blue  butterflies  flitted 
among  the  roses  and  lilies  that  towered 
above  the  heads  of  the  little  ones.  Some 
of  the  children  were  rolling  Hoops,  others 
were  playing  with  tops  or  dolls,  and  all 
were  laughing  and  singing  merrily. 

As  Mary  stood  gazing  in  rapture  at 
them,  the  prettiest  girl  in  the  group  came 
running  to  her  and  took  her  by  the  hand. 

"Welcome,  little  girl!  What  is  your 
name?"  she  cried. 

"My  name  is  Mary,  and  I  live  in  that 
white  frame  house  yonder  on  the  hill,"  re- 
plied Mary. 

"Then  you  are  not  one  of  us,"  said  the 
girl,  looking  disappointed,  "yet  you  are 
the  daintiest,  prettiest  mortal  I  ever  saw, 
and  I  like  you  very  much." 

"But  what  is  your  name?"  asked  Mary. 

"I  am  called  Zerina  and  I  am  an  elf,"* 
replied  the  girl.     "Sometimes  our  good 

[224] 


ELVES  OF  THE  RHINELAND 


MABY   STOOD   GAZING   IX    RAPTURE    AT  THEM 


[225] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

King  permits  mortal  boys  and  girls  that 
are  good  to  live  among  us  until  they  get 
old  enough  to  put  on  airs;  then  he  sends 
them  back  home." 

"I  should  like  to  live  with  you  awhile," 
said  Mary,  quite  delighted  with  the  shut- 
tlecocks and  dolls  and  other  pretty  toys 
with  which  the  children  were  playing. 

"Then  you  must  promise  me  one  thing," 
said  Zerina.  "Never  tell  any  man  or 
woman  that  Elfland  is  in  the  midst  of 
this  great  forest;  for  they  may  want  to 
come  and  see  us,  and  we  will  have  to  move 
elsewhere.  No  mortal  man  or  woman  can 
gaze,  upon  us  without  bringing  us  great 
sorrow;  but  innocent  children  are  always 
welcome." 

"I  will  never  tell  anybody,"  said  Mary 
earnestly,  "and  I  will  never  permit  a  man 
or  a  woman  to  look  at  an  elf ,  if  I  can  pre- 
vent it." 

[226] 


ELVES  OF  THE  RHINELAND 

"Then  come  on,  dearest  Mary,  and  be 
happy,"  said  Zerina  joyously.  "When- 
ever you  do  not  know  whether  you  are  sad 
or  happy,  you  must  sing  as  loud  as  you 
can,  and  you  will  soon  find  out  that  you 
are  very  happy." 

"Mother  and  father  said  that  wicked 
gypsies  live  in  the  forest,"  said  Mary. 

"They  live  at  the  edge  of  the  wood," 
answered  Zerina,  "and  we  are  very  glad 
that  they  do ;  because  they  keep  away  hun- 
ters and  other  wicked  mortals.  If  the 
gypsies  were  driven  away,  we  would  have 
to  go,  too." 

"But  are  you  not  afraid  of  them?" 
asked  the  little  mortal  girl. 

"No,  indeed,"  replied  Zerina.  "They 
are  too  wicked  to  see  us,  and  therefore 
they  can  do  us  no  harm." 

Mary  soon  became  acquainted  with  the 
children,  and  they  romped  and  sang  for 

[227] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

hours,  occasionally  stopping  to  eat  deli- 
cious fruits  and  to  rest  among  the  flowers. 

Zerina  was  a  wonderful  elf  maiden,  for 
she  could  plant  seeds  of  gold  in  the  soil 
and  cause  beautiful  flowers  to  grow  in- 
stantly. She,  with  several  others,  would 
climb  like  squirrels  to  the  tops  of  the  tall 
trees,  and,  when  they  fell  to  the  ground, 
they  bounded  like  ivory  balls,  but  nothing 
seemed  to  hurt  them.  Although  they 
played  rather  boisterously  at  times,  there 
was  no  quarreling  amongst  them.  No 
one  gave  a  saucy  word  to  another,  and  the 
older  boys  and  girls  were  kind  to  the 
younger  ones.  In  fact,  they  did  not  know 
how  to  tattle  and  make  mischief,  for  thev 
had  never  lived  amongst  grown  people. 

At  dusk  a  beautiful  woman  in  a  gown 
of  gold  came  to  tell  them  that  if  they 
wished  to  keep  fresh  and  strong,  they 
must  not  forget  to  go  to  sleep  early.     So 

[228] 


ELVES  OF  THE  RHINELAND 

all  the  children  followed  her,  except  Ze- 
rina  and  Mary,  who  entered  the  open  door 
of  a  great  marble  building.  Mary  was 
amazed  at  the  round  hall  through  which 
they  were  passing.  Above  them  was  a 
great  dome,  filled  with  stars  that  shone 
as  brightly  as  the  sun,  and  all  about  her 
sat  beautiful  elderly  ladies  with  kind  faces 
and  snowy  hair. 

"Those  dear  mortal  ladies  are  mothers 
who  are  allowed  to  come  to  Elfland  to 
rest,  for  they  get  little  rest  at  home,"  ex- 
plained Zerina.  "They  do  not  dare  to 
speak  to  us.  You  see  the  King  does  not 
want  us  to  know  anything  about  the 
wicked  mortals  that  worry  and  fret  and 
sometimes  kill  their  best  friends.  No  mor- 
tal man  can  come  here.  Now,  dear  Mary, 
promise  me  again  that  you  will  never  tell 
any  mortal  man  or  woman  about  Elfland, 
and  where  it  is  situated." 

[229] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

Mary  repeated  her  promise  once  more, 
and  at  the  same  time  they  passed  through 
a  hall  filled  with  palms  and  flowers,  and 
went  down  a  flight  of  stairs  to  a  dark 
room. 

Hundreds  of  dwarfs  were  sorting  out 
gold  and  silver  coins  and  placing  them  in 
sacks;  others  were  piling  up  the  sacks  at 
the  far  end  of  the  room.  The  dwarfs  had 
long  noses  and  queer  little  eyes  that  twin- 
kled merrily.  Mary  thought  them  very 
interesting,  and  was  about  to  speak  to  one 
of  them  when  Zerina  told  her  to  look  at 
the  Metal  Prince,  who  was  an  old  man 
with  a  gray  beard  and  long  white  hair. 

JSIary  wanted  to  ask  the  Metal  Prince 
all  about  himself  and  his  band  of  workers ; 
but  her  eyes  happened  to  fall  upon  a  large 
placard,  which  contained  these  words  in 
gold  letters: 

[  230  ] 


ELVES  OF  THE  RHINELAND 

"Little  Children  Should  Be  Seen 
And  Not  Heard." 

Zerina  again  took  her  hand  and  they  as- 
cended the  stairs  and  passed  out  through  a 
rear  door  to  a  park  with  grass  that  looked 
like  velvet.  In  its  midst  was  a  beautiful 
lake  that  shone  in  the  moonlight.  Upon 
its  smooth  surface  hundreds  of  the  older 
boys  and  girls  were  riding  hither  and 
thither  in  silver  canoes.  Some  of  them 
wore  sedge  and  water-lily  garlands  and 
made  whistling  noises  by  blowing  through 
shells. 

Among  many  other  remarkable  things 
that  Mary  saw  were  the  fire  children.  Ze- 
rina knocked  at  the  door  of  a  great  rock, 
and  was  admitted  by  a  woman  that  was 
red  to  the  tips  of  her  fingers.  They  went 
up  a  flight  of  winding  stairs  to  a  long, 
circular  hall  that  was  brilliantly  lighted. 

[231] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

Against  the  wall  hung  magnificent 
tapestries,  upon  which  were  pictured  thou- 
sands of  beautiful  children. 

Mary  was  amazed  to  see  that  they  were 
all  dancing  about,  playing  flutes  or  twin- 
ing garlands  about  their  necks.  All  of 
them  glowed  brightly,  as  if  they  were  in 
the  light  of  the  sun. 

"Do  not  touch  any  of  them,"  said  Ze- 
rina,  pulling  her  back.  "If  you  do,  you 
will  burn  your  hands.  You  see  they  are 
fire  children,  just  as  you  are  a  child  of  the 
air.  You  are  quite  as  strange  to  them  as 
they  are  to  you." 

When  they  reached  the  park  once  more, 
the  moon  was  not  shining  so  brightly,  and 
nightingales  and  other  birds  were  singing 
lullabies  that  made  them  feel  sleepy. 

"Isn't  it  time  to  go  to  bed?"  asked 
Mary. 

"I  never  heard  of  a  bed,"  laughed  Ze- 

[232] 


ELVES  OF  THE  RHINELAND 

rina.  "You  mortals  have  some  very  queer 
sayings.  If  you  are  tired,  perhaps  we 
would  better  go  to  sleep." 

They  entered  a  beautiful  grove  where 
hundreds  of  children  were  lying  about  on 
mossy  mounds  and  at  the  foot  of  trees, 
sleeping  sweetly.  Zerina  and  Mary 
found  a  soft  bed  in  a  tangle  of  ferns  and 
lay  down  to  rest,  soon  falling  asleep. 

Mary  was  awakened  at  sunrise  by  the 
shouting  and  singing  of  happy  children. 
Zerina  was  bending  over  her  with  fruits 
that  looked  far  more  tempting  than  any 
breakfast  muffins  she  had  ever  seen. 
They  ate  heartily,  and  then  washed  their 
hands  at  the  brook. 

"Now  let  us  go  up  the  vine  hill  to  see 
the  sentinels  of  Elfland,"  said  Zerina. 
"These  good  creatures  guard  our  happy 
land  by  day  and  by  night," 

Mary  never  before  or  since  saw  such 

[233] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

odd-looking  creatures  as  the  sentinels 
were.  They  had  faces  like  white  owls, 
and  they  stared  at  her  with  their  big  yel- 
low eyes  until  she  grew  embarrassed. 
They  were  dressed  in  long  cloaks  of 
shaggy  wool,  and  held  fans  made  from  the 
wings  of  bats.  Each  of  them  also  held 
over  his  head  a  big  umbrella  covered  with 
the  skins  of  wild  animals. 

"Should  any  mortal  attempt  to  enter 
Elfland,  one  look  at  our  brave  sentinels 
would  change  his  mind,"  laughed  Zerina. 
"Their  umbrellas  are  so  large  that  they 
keep  the  rain  from  falling  on  the  park; 
consequently  we  never  have  to  stay  in- 
doors." 

So  the  days  passed  quickly  by;  for  when 
people  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  enjoy 
themselves,  time  passes  all  too  swiftly. 

One  morning  while  they  were  playing 
in  the  park,  a  bird,  almost  as  large  as  an 
[  234  ] 


ELVES  OF  THE  RHINELAND 

eagle,  flew  over  their  heads,  and,  after 
circling  about  for  some  time,  lit  upon  a 
glittering  crown  that  tipped  the  arch  of 
one  of  the  great  windows  in  the  marble 
castle. 

The  bird  was  purple  and  green  and  its 
head  was  golden  in  the  sunlight;  its  beak 
was  red,  and  its  claws  were  blue.  After 
looking  all  about,  it  began  to  sing  a  mel- 
ody, so  sweet  that  every  child  bowed  to 
the  earth  and  remained  quiet  until  the 
last  strain  had  died  away;  then  they  all 
rose  and  looked  at  the  bird  as  it  flew  away, 
their  faces  shining  with  happiness. 

"Why  are  they  all  so  delighted?"  asked 
Mary. 

"Because  the  King  is  coming,"  replied 
Zerina,  likewise  thrilled  with  joy.  "Wher- 
ever he  turns  his  face  there  is  happiness. 
The  bird  that  you  have  just  seen  is  called 
a  phoenix,  and  it  dwells  in  Arabia.    When- 

[235] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

ever  it  feels  that  it  is  growing  old,  it  does 
not  worry  about  it,  but  builds  a  pile  of 
balm  and  incense,  sets  fire  to  it,  and  dies 
singing.  From  the  ashes  the  phoenix 
soars  again,  more  beautiful  than  ever. 
We  are  always  glad  to  have  the  bird  visit 
us,  for  it  is  a  herald  of  the  King." 

At  that  moment  the  lady  in  the  gold 
robe  came  to  them  and  said  sweetly : 

"Zerina,  it  can  no  longer  be  concealed 
that  Mary  is  a  mortal.  See  how  tall  she 
has  grown.  Take  her  to  the  edge  of 
Elfland  and  bid  her  goodby,  for  the  King 
is  coming  to  hold  court  for  twenty  years. 
Take  this  ring,  dear  Mary,  and  do  not 
forget  us;  but,  above  all  things  else,  do 
not  betray  us  to  any  mortal  man  or 
woman." 

Mary  took  the  little  gold  ring  and,  for 
the  first  time  since  they  had  met,  the  two 
girls  wept. 

[286] 


ELVES  OF  THE  RHINELAND 

"I  should  be  glad  to  have  you  remain, 
and  sit  in  the  great  round  hall  with  the 
mortal  ladies  that  come  here  to  rest;  but 
you  are  far  too  young  and  active  to  keep 
from  talking,"  sobbed  Zerina.  "Besides, 
your  poor  parents  must  have  grown  quite 
uneasy  about  you.  Perhaps  they  are 
thinking  that  the  gypsies  stole  you." 

"I  never  thought  of  that,"  said  Mary. 
"I  must  hasten  home.  Shall  I  ever  meet 
you  again?" 

"Never  more,"  said  Zerina  sadly,  "for, 
indeed,  you  have  grown  to  be  quite  a 
woman;  goodby." 

In  a  short  time  Mary  was  out  of  the 
forest,  hastening  to  her  home  on  top  of 
the  hill.  But  she  observed  that  the  coun- 
try looked  strange.  Many  new  houses 
had  sprung  up  and,  as  she  climbed  the 
hill,  she  noticed  that  the  house  in  which  she 
lived  had  been  painted  green. 

[237] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

She  entered  without  knocking  and  saw 
her  father,  bent  and  gray,  sitting  at  the 
table.  Beside  him  sat  an  old  lady  who 
had  been  weeping.  A  handsome  young 
man  was  with  them,  his  face  very  sad  and 
his  eyes  brimming  with  tears. 

"Alas !  it  was  all  my  fault,"  he  was  say- 
ing, "for  it  was  I  that  coaxed  her  to  run 
a  race." 

"Father!  father!"  cried  the  startled  girl, 
as  she  threw  herself  into  his  arms. 
"Where  is  my  mother?" 

"Why,  it's  our  Mary!"  cried  IMartin, 
straining  her  to  his  bosom  and  kissing  her 
again  and  again.  "Here  is  your  mother 
and  Andres.  We've  been  waiting  for 
you  seven  long  years." 

Great  was  the  joy  that  filled  their  hearts 
as  INIary  flew  to  her  mother  and  covered 
her  worn  face  with  kisses. 

[238] 


ELVES  OF  THE  RHINELAND 

"We  have  scoured  the  country  over  and 
over  again  to  find  you,"  said  Andres. 
"Did  the  wicked  gypsies  steal  you?" 

]\Iary,  remembering  her  solemn  prom- 
ise, said  after  a  time : 

"Yes,  I  was  stolen;  but  I  escaped,  and 
have  come  back  to  my  father  and  mother 
to  comfort  them  in  their  old  age.  I  never 
dreamed  that  I  had  been  gone  seven  years, 
and — I  never  knew  until  to-day  that  I 
am  a  young  woman." 

Two  years  passed  away,  and  Mary, 
whose  beauty  and  refinement  had  made 
her  the  talk  of  the  country,  became  a  great 
friend  of  the  nobleman  and  his  wife. 
Many  suitors  came  to  propose  marriage, 
but  she  decided  that  she  would  have  no 
one  but  Andres  for  a  husband. 

So  they  were  quietly  married,  and  soon 
after  went  to  live  in  a  cottage  not  far 
[239] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

from  her  old  home  on  the  hill.  In  a  year 
they  had  a  daughter  whom  Mary  named 
Elfrida  in  honor  of  the  elves. 

Elf  rida  was  much  like  her  mother,  and 
when  she  was  scarcely  seven  years  old 
she  preferred  to  play  by  herself  in  a  de- 
serted hut  at  the  end  of  their  garden. 

One  day  Mary  thought  she  would  sur- 
prise her,*  and  find  out  how  the  child 
amused  herself.  She  peeped  through  the 
window  of  the  hut  and  saw  Elfrida  sit- 
ting upon  the  floor,  weaving  a  garland  of 
forget-me-nots.  Mary  could  hardly  be- 
lieve her  eyes  when  she  beheld  Zerina  play- 
ing with  her. 

"Dear  Elfrida,"  said  Zerina,  "as  I  play 
with  you,  I  often  think  of  your  dear 
mother  who  is  lost  to  me  forever  more. 
Would  that  you  could  be  a  child  always. 
But  alack!  you  will  become  old  and  wise, 
too,  as  all  mortals  do." 

[240] 


ELVES  OF  THE  RHINELAND 

"Yes,  for  my  father  and  mother  and 
grandparents  expect  great  things  of  me," 
repHed  Elfrida  gloomily.  "They  say  that 
parents  always  try  to  make  their  children 
wiser  than  they  themselves  are.  How  I 
wish  that  we  could  always  be  children  to- 
gether! The  ripe  apple  is  useful,  but  it 
is  not  half  so  pretty  as  the  apple  blossom. 
]\Iay  I  go  along  with  you  to  Elfland?" 

"No;  it  would  grieve  your  mother  to 
part  with  you,"  said  Zerina,  kissing  her. 
"I  will  come  to  see  you  every  day,  but  you 
must  not  break  your  promise.  I  hope  you 
may  be  as  constant  as  your  dear  mother 
has  been  to  me." 

"How  beautiful  are  these  garlands!" 
exclaimed  Elfrida.  "How  sad  it  is  that 
they  must  wither  and  die!" 

"These  will  not  wither  until  the  snow 
comes,"  said  Zerina,  "for  I  will  kiss  them 
aU." 

[241  ] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

For  hours  they  chatted  innocently  away 
until  Zerina  said  that  she  must  go  back  to 
Elfland. 

When  Elfrida  returned  to  the  house, 
her  mother  caught  her  in  her  arms  and 
kissed  her,  but  said  nothing. 

The  next  day  Andres  came  home  long 
before  supper-time.  He  was  very  angry 
about  something  and  scowled  heavily. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  asked  Mary  in 
alarm. 

"Those  gypsy  vagabonds  have  become 
so  bold  that  we  have  banded  together  to 
fight  them,"  he  said.  "We  are  going  to- 
night to  drive  them  away,  set  fire  to  their 
shanties,  and  kill  all  their  dogs." 

"Oh,  you  must  not — you  must  not!" 
cried  Mary,  pale  with  alarm. 

But  Andres  was  determined.  His  wife 
pleaded  with  him  to  turn  the  wrath  of 
their  neighbors  and  thus  permit  the  gyp- 

[242] 


ELVES  OF  THE  RHINELAND 

sies  to  live  in  peace.  At  last  he  became 
vexed  with  her. 

"If  you  destroy  the  gypsies,  the  elves 
will  also  leave  the  great  forest  and" — 

Then  she  burst  into  tears,  for  she  had 
broken  her  promise  to  Zerina. 

"Are  you  crazy?"  asked  Andres,  look- 
ing at  her  in  surprise. 

Mary  begged  him  to  follow  her  and  to 
make  no  noise.  They  stole  quietly  to  the 
hut  at  the  end  of  the  garden  and  peeped 
through  the  window.  There  sat  El- 
f  rida,  as  usual,  at  play  with  Zerina. 

When  Andres  saw  the  beautiful  elf 
kissing  his  daughter  and  twining  a  wreath 
of  lilies-of-the-valley  in  her  curls,  he 
uttered  an  exclamation  of  surprise.  Ze- 
rina turned  and  saw  them.  Her  pained 
expression,  as  her  eyes  fell  upon  Mary, 
haunted  the  woman  as  long  as  she  lived. 

"Goodby,  dear  Elfrida,"  said  the  elf, 

[243] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

with  tears  in  her  eyes  as  she  kissed  her. 
"I  will  never  never  come  again,  and  your 
land  will  be  blighted  with  want  and  suf- 
fering; for  mortals  will  never  have  good 
sense,  no  matter  how  wise  they  think  them- 
selves. I  must  suffer,  as  all  who  love 
mortals  must  suffer.  Alasl  the  wicked 
world  has  no  place  for  Elfland." 
'  Then  she  turned  into  a  raven  and  flew 
away,  giving  hoarse  cries  of  distress. 

Mary  and  Elfrida,  in  each  others'  arms, 
wept  until  their  eyes  were  red  and  swol- 
len; for  the  one  beautiful  tie  that  had 
bound  them  both  to  a  world  of  peace  and 
innocence  had  been  broken. 

In  spite  of  the  prayers  of  Andres,  the 
gypsies  were  driven  from  the  forest  that 
night  with  clubs  and  torches.  But  no 
sooner  had  they  left  than  a  blight  fell 
upon  the  land  that  lasted  for  many  years. 
The  grass  refused  to  grow,  the  trees  and 

[244] 


ELVES  OF  THE  RHINELAND 

vines  no  longer  bore  fruit,  and  the  brook 
became  cold  and  sluggish. 

On  that  eventful  night  Andres  and 
Mary  could  see  by  the  light  of  the  torches 
that  all  their  crops  were  withering  away, 
and  well  they  knew  that  the  enchantment 
of  the  elves  had  vanished  with  the  depart- 
ure of  the  gypsies.  To  add  to  their  woe, 
Elfrida  was  stolen  from  her  crib  that 
same  night,  and  never  came  back  to  them. 

Many  years  later  an  old  ferryman  told 
the  story  of  the  terrible  night  that  Elfland 
fell  in  ruins,  when  thousands  of  beautiful 
birds,  with  cries  of  mingled  sorrow  and 
terror,  flew  from  the  great  forest,  he  knew 
not  whither, — leaving  Germany  forever. 


[245] 


DISCONTENTED  TEG 

A  WELSH  FAIRY  TALE 

Some  writers  say  that  Wales  was  the 
cradle  of  Fairyland.  If  that  were  all 
Wales  was  noted  for,  it  is  enough  to 
make  her  very  dear  to  the  hearts  of  boys 
and  girls  everywhere;  for  most  children, 
with  Uvely,  healthji»*imaginations,  like  to 
wander  through  the  mystic  Land  of 
Fancy,  where  fairies  and  brownies  and 
ogres  and  giants  and  brave  princes  and 
beautiful  princesses  reside. 

The  early  Welsh  people  firmly  believed 
in  fairies  and  witches  and  deeds  of  magic, 
and  there  was  no  Welshman  who  had 
greater  faith  in  them  than  a  shepherd  boy 
named  Teg. 

[246] 


DISCONTENTED  TEG 

All  day  long  he  cared  for  his  sheep 
among  the  mountains,  ten  miles  south  of 
Cardigan.  He  ardently  longed  for  the 
day  to  come  when  the  fairies  would  seize 
him  and  hold  him  in  a  spell  of  enchant- 
ment, that  he  might  lay  aside  his  crook 
and  have  a  short  vacation. 

The  head  shepherd,  for  whom  Teg 
worked,  was  a  cross,  brutal  creature,  who 
beat  him  soundly  whenever  anything  went 
wrong.  Whenever  the  lad  was  quiet,  he 
beat  him  for  being  a  dreamer;  and  when- 
ever he  whistled,  he  beat  him  for  being 
boisterous.  So  it  was  not  much  wonder 
that  poor  Teg  longed  for  the  fairies  to 
take  him  away. 

One  bright  morning  Teg  sat  in  the  pas- 
ture, dreaming  as  usual.  He  gazed  at 
the  top  of  Frennif awr  to  see  how  the  fog 
was  hanging;  for  if  the  Pembrokeshire 
side  of  the  peak  were  foggy,  it  was  a  sign 
[247] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

of  fair  weather;  and  if  the  fog  hung  on 
the  Cardigan  side,  it  was  a  sign  of  rain. 

While  he  was  looking  all  about  him, 
inspired  by  the  mellow  June  sunshine,  he 
saw  on  the  plain,  not  far  distant,  a  circle 
of  fairies  dancing  merrily. 

They  were  tiny  creatures,  scarcely  four 
inches  tall;  yet  they  appeared  majestic  in 
spite  of  their  amazing  leaps  into  the  air. 
As  he  drew  nearer,  he  saw  scores  of  little 
soldiers  in  tri-cornered  hats  and  scarlet 
coats,  circling  about,  hand  in  hand. 

A  number  of  beautiful  ladies,  in  dark 
blue  riding  costumes,  weaved  about  them, 
sitting  upon  tiny  white  horses  that  moved 
with  amazing  spirit.  A  number  of  men 
were  playing  harps  and  other  musical  in- 
struments, but  Teg  could  not  hear  a 
sound.  They  were  evidently  having  a 
great  celebration  of  some  kind. 

Now  Teg  knew  that,  if  he  placed  his 

[248] 


DISCONTENTED  TEG 

foot  inside  the  circle,  the  fairy  enchant- 
ment would  be  complete;  so  he  jumped 
squarely  into  the  middle  of  it.  Then  he 
distinctly  heard  the  gay  music,  the  shout- 
ing of  the  soldiers,  and  the  tinkling 
laughter  of  the  ladies. 

Suddenly,  everything  turned  black,  and 
he  began  to  sink  rapidly.  Then  a  daz- 
zling light  fell  upon  him,  and  he  rubbed 
his  eyes  and  opened  them  to  find  himself 
in  the  court  of  a  splendid  palace.  The 
floors  were  of  marble  and  the  great  pillars 
were  of  onyx  and  agate.  In  the  centre 
of  the  court  was  a  fountain  that  shot  forth 
sparkling  jets  of  water. 

Teg  was  filled  with  joy,  especially  when 
a  beautiful  lady,  dressed  in  a  costly  gown 
covered  with  strings  of  pearls,  came  to 
meet  him. 

"Welcome,  Prince  Teg,"  she  said,  giv- 
ing him  her  hand. 

[249] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"But  I  am  not  a  Prince — I  am  only  a 
poor  shepherd  boy,"  stammered  Teg,  who 
never  before  had  seen  a  lady  dressed  in 
the  height  of  fashion. 

"You  are  a  Prince  now,"  said  the  lady. 
"You  have  always  wanted  to  belong  to 
the  nobility,  and  I  have  granted  you  your 
wish." 

"But  who  are  you?"  asked  Teg,  half 
dazed. 

"I  am  Mab,  the  Queen  of  the  Fairies," 
she  replied  smilingly. 

"But  you  are  so  large!  I  thought  that 
fairies  were  very  tiny  creatures,"  gasped 
Teg. 

"You  have  grown  smaller  since  you 
came  to  Fairy-land,"  said  the  Princess. 
"You  are  not  nearly  so  big  as  you  think 
you  are,  and  I  daresay  you  will  feel  still 
smaller  before  you  have  lived  in  Fairy- 
land a  week." 

[250] 


DISCONTENTED  TEG 


WELCOME,    PKIXCE    TEG,       SHE    SAID 


[251] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"If  I  am  to  be  a  Prince,  I  must  have 
suitable  clothes,"  said  Teg,  beginning  to 
feel  very  important,  as  many  people  do 
that  rise  suddenly  in  station. 

Queen  Mab  ordered  her  guards  to  con- 
duct Teg  to  his  suite  of  rooms  in  the  front 
part  of  the  castle,  where  two  valets  and 
three  footmen  waited  upon  him. 

They  brought  to  him  a  number  of  smart 
coats  and  many  other  articles  of  dress, 
but  Teg  would  have  none  of  them. 

"I  shan't  be  satisfied  to  be  a  Prince  un- 
less I  can  dress  like  one,"  he  grumbled. 
"Take  all  those  dowdy  things  away  and 
bring  me  a  costly  robe  of  bright  red, 
fringed  with  gold  and  covered  with  jew- 
els. Also  bring  me  a  coronet  sparkling 
with  precious  stones,  that  everyone  may 
know  I  am  a  nobleman." 

In  a  short  time  his  attendants  returned 
with  all  the  gorgeous  clothing  that  he 

[252] 


I 

DISCONTENTED  TEG 

had  ordered,  and  began  to  dress  him  to 
meet  the  Queen  at  luncheon. 

Queen  Mab  was  awaiting  him  in  the 
court.  She  seemed  somewhat  amused  at 
his  vulgar  display  of  jewels,  but  she  said 
nothing. 

"Let  us  have  something  to  eat,"  said 
Prince  Teg,  "for  I  have  had  nothing  all 
day  but  cold  potatoes  and  buttermilk." 

"Luncheon  is  now  ready,"  said  the 
Queen.  "Dinner  will  be  served  four 
hours  later.  My  luncheons  are  always 
simple;  but  then  you  will  not  mind  that, 
for  you  are  to  eat  alone  with  the  Queen." 

They  went  into  a  splendid  banquet  hall, 
where  a  table  was  set  for  two.  Although 
the  viands  set  before  them  were,  indeed, 
fit  for  a  Queen,  they  did  not  please  Teg, 
who  soon  lost  his  temper. 

"Do  you  call  this  fit  food  for  a  Prince!" 
he  cried  in  a  loud  voice.     "I  would  have 

[253] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

three  kinds  of  wine,  venison,  duck,  soups, 
cakes,  and  all  sorts  of  dessert.  Let  them 
all  be  brought  in  at  one  time  that  I  may 
not  have  to  wait  so  long." 

"As  you  please,"  replied  the  Queen, 
still  smiling.  Then  she  ordered  the  serv- 
ants to  bring  in  the  Prince's  dinner,  since 
he  had  decided  that  he  did  not  care  for 
luncheon. 

In  the  evening  a  great  ball  was  held  in 
the  castle,  to  which  all  the  grandees  of 
Fairyland  had  been  invited.  Teg  was 
amazed  at  the  beauty  and  grace  of  the 
ladies  present,  and  yet  they  all  wore  sim- 
ple white  gowns  and  few  jewels.  The 
Queen  only  appeared  in  court  costume. 

To  Teg's  great  humiliation,  no  one 
looked  at  him  at  all,  because  each  one  had 
so  many  friends  in  which  he  was  more  in- 
terested. Greatly  displeased,  he  went  to 
the  Queen  who  was  sitting  on  a  dais  at 

[254] 


DISCONTENTED  TEG 

one  end  of  the  ball-room,  surrounded  by 
her  high-officials. 

"No  one  seems  to  know  that  I  am  a 
Prince,"  he  complained. 

"That  is  because  there  are  so  many 
other  Princes  here,  and  not  any  one  of 
them  can  receive  all  the  homage;  it  must 
be  divided,"  replied  the  Queen. 

"I  want  to  be  recognized,"  he  insisted. 

"Then  step  up  here  and  share  this 
throne  with  me,"  said  the  good  natured 
Queen,  making  room  for  him. 

Teg  was  much  too  bold  to  hang  back 
when  such  an  oportunity  was  given  him, 
so  he  sat  down  by  the  Queen  and  looked 
haughtily  down  upon  the  dancers. 

Before  the  evening  was  over,  everyone 
had  seen  how  the  Queen  had  favored 
Teg  and  all  gathered  about  him  to 
shake  hands  and  to  invite  him  to  their 
homes. 

12551 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

Before  he  retired  that  night,  Queen 
Mab  said: 

"All  that  I  have  is  yours,  so  long  as  you 
are  my  guest;  but  I  must  beg  of  you  to 
refrain  from  drinking  any  water  from 
the  well  at  the  north  end  of  the  garden. 
If  you  should  drink  of  that  water,  you 
would  regret  it  as  long  as  you  live." 

The  next  day  Prince  Teg  went  to  the 
Queen  with  another  complaint. 

"If  I  am  to  be  a  Prince,  I  must  have 
money,"  he  said. 

"Go  to  your  apartments  and  you  will 
find  all  that  you  can  use,"  replied  the 
Queen. 

He  found  a  large  quantity  of  gold  and 
silver  coin  in  his  sleeping-room;  but  he 
was  not  satisfied.  Calling  to  his  head 
valet,  he  said: 

"Tell  the  Queen  that  I  must  have  more 
money.     I  must  have  ten  times  as  much, 

[256] 


DISCONTENTED  TEG 

that  I  may  impress  Fairyland  with  my 
wealth." 

In  less  than  an  hour  two  hundred  serv- 
ants, carrying  bags  of  gold  and  silver  and 
precious  stones,  came  into  the  room  and 
piled  up  the  treasures.  They  filled  the 
apartment  so  full  that  Prince  Teg  could 
hardly  turn  around ;  but,  although  he  com- 
plained about  the  closeness  of  the  room, 
he  would  not  let  them  take  a  single  coin 
away. 

Still  Teg  was  not  contented,  although 
he  was  a  Prince,  a  boon  companion  of  the 
Queen,  with  many  friends,  money,  costly 
jewels,  fine  clothes,  horses,  carriages,  and 
plenty  of  leisure  time.  In  short  all  the 
dreams  of  his  restless  youth  had  been  real- 
ized. 

He  grew  more  and  more  dissatisfied 
every  day,  and  treated  his  attendants  in 
a  shameful  manner. 

[257] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

"I  know  what  is  the  matter!"  he  finally 
cried,  jumping  from  his  golden  couch. 
"I  have  been  so  much  interested  in  get- 
ting all  the  important  things  of  life  that 
I  forgot  all  about  getting  married.  I 
must  go  to  the  Queen  at  once." 

Although  the  Queen  was  busy  with  her 
high  officials,  she  dismissed  them,  and 
asked  Teg  what  he  wanted.  He  sat  down 
on  the  throne  beside  her,  forgetting  to 
remove  his  hat,  and  said: 

"I  want  a  wife." 

"What  kind  of  a  woman  do  you  want?" 
asked  the  Queen,  smiling  pleasantly. 

"She  must  bie  wealthy  and  beautiful 
and  of  noble  birth,  intelligent,  witty,  and 
good  natured.  She  must  speak  at  least 
fourteen  languages,  play  at  least  twelve 
musical  instruments,  humor  me  when  I 
am  cross,  stay  at  home  all  the  time,  and 
cook  when  necessary.     She  must  not  be 

[258] 


DISCONTENTED  TEG 

SO  tall  as  I,  and  her  eyes,  hair,  and  com- 
plexion must  be  perfect.    She  must — " 

**Stop!  stop!"  cried  Queen  Mab,  laugh- 
ing until  her  sides  ached.  "In  my  realm 
of  beautiful  women  there  is  not  one  that 
would  suit  you.  Prince  Teg;  };ou  would 
better  remain  a  bachelor." 

"Nay,  I  will  notl"  cried  Teg,  stamp- 
ing his  foot.  "If  I  can't  get  a  woman 
that  is  my  equal,  I'll  take  one  with 
fewer  charms.  Who  would  you  sug- 
gest?" 

"How  would  you  like  the  Duchess 
Cherry  Blossom?  Nearly  all  the  noble- 
men are  wild  to  marry  her,  but  she  has 
left  it  to  me  to  make  the  choice." 

"You  insult  me,"  snapped  Teg.  "I 
would  not  stoop  to  marry  a  Duchess, 
since  I  have  become  a  Prince.  Whoever 
heard  of  such  a  thing!  I  would  much 
rather  prefer  to  marry  you." 

[259] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

The  Queen  gasped  for  a  moment,  but 
replied  as  calmly  as  ever: 

"If  you  wish  it,  I  will  be  your  wife,  and 
you  may  be  my  Prince  Consort." 

"You  are  not  the  style  of  woman  I  ad- 
mire; but  since  you  are  willing,  I  will 
make  the  best  of  it  and  try  to  make  you 
happy,"  said  Teg  as  he  walked  away. 

Great  plans  were  made  for  the  wed- 
ding. Teg  made  all  the  arrangements 
himself,  ignoring  every  suggestion  of- 
fered by  the  Queen.  His  wedding  robe 
alone  was  so  costly  that  the  treasury  of 
Fairyland  was  bankrupt  for  twenty 
years.  He  appointed  thirty  noblemen 
to  march  before  him  to  the  Cathedral, 
where  the  wedding  was  to  take  place,  to 
scatter  flowers  in  his  pathway  and  to  per- 
form a  ceremony  when  the  crown  was 
placed  upon  his  head. 

The  day  before  the  wedding,  he  went 

[260] 


DISCONTENTED  TEG 

out  into  the  garden,  dissatisfied  as  usual. 

"I  wish  that  Fairyland  were  larger," 
he  said.  "If  there  were  other  nations  to 
recognize  me  as  their  King,  I  should  be 
happy.  Life  is  indeed  tiresome  to  a  no- 
bleman like  myself." 

Just  at  that  moment  he  saw  the  well 
from  which  Queen  Mab  had  told  him  that 
he  must  never  drink.  The  longer  he 
looked  at  it,  the  more  discontented  he  be- 
came. 

"I  am  resolved  that  no  woman  shall  ever 
bind  me  down  with  a  promise,"  said  he. 
"I'll  show  the  Queen  of  Fairyland  that 
she  cannot  expect  to  boss  her  husband." 

Although  the  water  in  the  well  was 
stagnant  and  filled  with  fish,  Prince  Teg 
lifted  a  cup  of  it  to  his  lips  and  tasted  it. 

Instantly  his  head  struck  the  earth  with 
a  bang  that  made  stars  dance  before  his 
eyes.     He  looked  eagerly  about  him  to 

[261] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

see  where  he  was,  and  saw  his  sheep  graz- 
ing peacefully  in  the  pasture,  while  in  the 
distance  Frennifawr  Peak  trembled  in  a 
purple  fog. 

*'I'll  teach  thee  how  to  go  to  sleep  and 
neglect  thy  duty!"  cried  the  brutal  shep- 
herd as  he  brought  down  his  great  fists 
again  and  again  upon  poor  Teg's  shoul- 
ders. "Thou  art  a  sluggard  and  thou  wilt 
lose  thy  place  to-night;  but  before  thou 
goest  thou  wilt  get  the  best  trouncing  that 
an  ignoramus  ever  had!" 

He  continued  to  beat  Teg  until  the  poor 
lad  yelled  and  writhed  with  pain;  and 
when  the  beating  was  at  an  endj  Teg  was 
as  humble  as  the  oldest  sheep  in  the  pas- 
ture. 

"I  wish  I  had  obeyed  the  Queen," 
blubbered  he,  as  he  searched  for  his  crook. 
"There  are  times,  I  suppose,  when  it  is 
best  to  take  a  woman's  advice." 

[262] 


THE  PRINCE  OF  NAPLES 

AN  ITALIAN  LEGEND 

Once  there  was  a  cruel,  selfish  King 
who  ruled  over  Naples  in  Italy.  He  was 
much  feared  by  all  his  subjects,  and  by 
his  good  Queen  as  well.  Strange  to  tell, 
the  King  had  a  brave  and  handsome  son, 
who  was  kind  and  helpful  to  everyone  he 
chanced  to  meet ;  his  name  was  Roswal. 

One  day  the  King  became  very  angry 
with  three  of  his  noblest  Knights,  because 
they  rebuked  him  for  being  so  unjust. 
Without  taking  counsel  with  them,  he  or- 
dered them  to  be  thrown  into  the  dark 
dungeon  beneath  the  palace,  there  to  re- 
main the  rest  of  their  lives.  He  com- 
manded the  gaoler  to  feed  them  upon 

[263] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

bread  and  water,  and  to  beat  them  with 
an  iron  rod  every  night. 

Roswal's  heart  ached  when  he  went  to 
his  room  over  the  dungeon  and  prepared 
to  go  to  bed,  for  the  poor  Knights,  over- 
come by  disgrace  and  ill  treatment,  were 
weeping  and  groaning.  He  could  hear 
the  rattling  of  chains  and  the  sturdy  blows 
rained  upon  them  by  the  gaoler. 

When  the  dungeon  had  become  quiet, 
the  Prince  got  out  of  bed  and  stole  noise- 
lessly to  the  King's  sleeping  apartment. 
He  searched  beneath  the  King's  pillow 
and  found  the  key  to  the  dungeon.  Then 
he  went  down  to  the  place  where  the 
Knights  were  locked  up,  removed  their 
chains,  and  set  them  free. 

**Now  hasten  away  as  fast  as  you  can, 
my  good  Knights,"  said  Roswal,  "for  the 
gaoler  will  wake  up  and  miss  you;  then 
the  palace  will  be  in  an  uproar." 

[264] 


THE  PRINCE  OF  NAPLES 

"May  God  requite  thee,  noble  Prince," 
said  one  of  the  Knights.  "Kind  acts 
never  lose  their  reward." 

Before  dawn  the  gaoler  discovered  that 
the  Knights  had  escaped.  Sick  with  fear 
and  anxiety,  he  hastened  to  the  King's 
apartment  to  tell  him  what  had  happened. 
The  King  was  equally  amazed,  for  the 
key  to  the  dungeon  was  under  his  pillow 
where  he  had  placed  it  the  night  before. 

He  dressed  in  all  possible  haste  and 
called  his  court  and  all  the  retainers  of  his 
palace  before  him.  He  said  that  the  three 
Knights  had  been  set  free,  and  that  some 
one  in  his  household  was  guilty.  He  was 
about  to  punish  the  gaoler  for  his  care- 
lessness, when  Roswal  said: 

"Be  merciful  to  him,  father,  for  he  is 
not  to  blame.  It  was  I  who  set  the 
Knights  free,  and  I  am  glad  I  did." 

The  King  was  so  enraged  that  he  or- 

[265] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

dered  Roswal  to  be  beheaded  at  once;  but 
the  court  and  all  the  servants  were  so  fond 
of  the  Prince,  he  feared  that  they  never 
would  forgive  him  for  permitting  such  a 
deed.  So  he  said  he  would  banish  him 
from  the  court  of  Naples,  and  that  he 
should  never  return  again. 

The  King  gave  Roswal  an  abundance 
of  money  and  clothes,  as  well  as  a  fine 
steed,  and  sent  him  forth  into  the  wide 
world  to  makes  his  fortune  as  best  he 
could.  The  Prince  had  some  letters  to 
the  King  of  Beaune  and  other  great 
rulers,  which  he  put  in  his  pocket.  He 
had  but  one  companion,  the  High  Ste- 
ward, a  lad  of  his  own  age,  who  was  also 
well  fitted  for  the  journey. 

The  High  Steward  was  not  trust- 
worthy, and  the  King  had  taken  the  op- 
portunity to  get  rid  of  him.  He  looked 
with  longing  upon  Roswal's  fine  clothes, 
[266] 


THE  PRINCE  OF  NAPLES 

his  money,  and  his  letters  to  foreign  kings, 
and  at  last  made  up  his  mind  to  get  them 
for  himself.  So  he  overpowered  the 
Prince,  stripped  him  of  all  his  valuables, 
and  rode  away  on  his  fine  steed,  leaving 
his  master  without  anything  but  his  own 
common  clothes.  But  before  he  rode 
away,  he  made  the  Prince  solemnly  swear 
by  the  memory  of  his  good  mother  that 
he  would  never  betray  him. 

Roswal  wandered,  tired  and  footsore, 
until  he  came  to  a  cottage  in  the  heart  of 
a  forest.  There  he  met  a  dame  who  was 
kind  and  gentle.  She  bade  him  come  in 
and  sit  down  at  the  supper  table  with  her 
son,  a  boy  of  his  own  age. 

When  they  had  nearly  finished  eating, 
the  good  dame  said: 

"What  is  thy  name,  my  lad?" 

Roswal  was  silent  for  a  moment,  but 
finally  answered:  "My  name  is  Disa- 
[267] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

ware.  I  came  from  a  far-away  country, 
and  I  have  no  home." 

"Then  thou  shalt  stay  in  my  home  and 
be  educated  with  my  own  son,"  said  the 
good  dame. 

Accordingly,  Roswal  was  sent  to  school, 
where  he  studied  hard.  The  schoolmaster 
saw  what  a  brilliant  mind  the  boy  had, 
and  taught  him  many  useful  things,  so 
that  he  became  one  of  the  most  learned 
scholars  in  the  land.  Roswal,  who  al- 
ways had  lived  in  luxury  but  had  never 
known  happiness,  was  delighted  with  his 
simple  home  in  the  forest.  He  helped  to 
support  the  good  dame  as  though  he  were 
her  own  son. 

Meanwhile  the  High  Steward,  dressed 
in  Roswal's  clothes,  arrived  at  Beaune. 
He  took  out  the  letters  which  the  King 
of  Naples  had  written  for  his  son,  and 

[268] 


THE  PRINCE  OF  NAPLES 

sent  them  by  messenger  to  the  King  of 
Beaune. 

Ere  long  a  number  of  Knights  came  to 
greet'  him  and  take  him  to  the  palace, 
which  was  brilliantly  lighted,  as  though 
some  great  festivity  were  to  take  place. 

The  King  and  all  his  court  gave  the 
High  Steward  a  royal  welcome  and  bade 
him  sit  down  at  the  feast  that  had  been 
prepared. 

"But  why  dost  thou  travel  alone, 
Prince?"  asked  the  King. 

"I  had  one  companion,  but  he  tried  to 
kill  me  and  take  my  place,"  replied  the 
High  Steward.  "One  night,  when  we 
were  in  the  forest,  I  stole  quietly  away. 
I  was  very  glad  to  get  rid  of  him." 

The  High  Steward  did  not  make  a  very 
attractive  Prince,  for  he  was  awkward 
and  ill-mannered  and,  of  course,  very 
[269] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

haughty;  but  people  are  apt  to  overlook 
bad  habits  in  one  of  lofty  station,  so  in 
time  he  became  the  most  popular  young 
man  in  court. 

He  fell  desperately  in  love  with  the 
King's  only  child,  the  Princess  Lilian,  the 
beauty,  of  whose  nut-brown  hair  and  white 
complexion  were  sung  by  troubadours  on 
all  great  occasions.  Lilian  did  not  love 
the  false  Prince,  but  her  father  told  her 
it  would  be  a  wise  thing  to  unite  the  king- 
doms of  Beaune  and  Naples,  and  that  she 
must  marry  the  Prince  of  Naples  as  soon 
as  she  was  old  enough. 

Several  years  later  it  was  announced 
from  the  court  that  the  Prince  of  Naples 
would  marry  the  Princess  Lilian  in  a  fort- 
night. Great  preparations  were  made  for 
a  week  of  festivity.  The  High  Steward 
was  the  happiest  man  on  earth,  although 
he  feared  that  the  real  Prince  might  come 

[270] 


THE  PRINCE  OF  NAPLES 

at  any  moment  and  keep  him  from  win- 
ning his  prize. 

One  day  while  he  was  hunting  in  the 
wood,  he  met  a  handsome  young  man  who 
was  shooting  with  his  bow  and  arrows. 
They  engaged  in  conversation,  and  the 
High  Steward  was  so  pleased  with  the 
lad's  comeliness  and  his  vast  learning  that 
he  asked  him  to  be  his  page. 

The  boy,  who  was  none  other  than  Ros- 
wal,  was  delighted  with  the  offer,  and  ran 
to  tell  the  good  dame.  He  bade  her  good- 
by,  mounted  behind  the  High  Steward, 
and  rode  to  the  court  of  Beaune.  Ros- 
wal  was  so  much  improved  in  every  way 
that  the  High  Steward  did  not  recognize 
him,  but  on  the  other  hand  Roswal  knew 
that  he  was  to  be  page  to  his  only  enemy. 

When  they  reached  the  palace,  the 
High  Steward  went  to  the  Princess  Lil- 
ian and  told  her  to  come  and  meet  his  new 
[271] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

page,  of  whom  he  was  very  proud.  When 
Lilian  saw  Roswal  and  talked  with  him 
a  few  minutes,  she  fell  in  love  with 
him.  She  asked  him  his  name  and  where 
he  came  from.  True  to  his  solemn  prom- 
ise to  the  High  Steward,  he  replied: 

"I  came  from  the  great  forest,  and  my 
name  is  Disaware." 

The  day  for  the  wedding  of  the  Prin- 
cess and  the  High  Steward  drew  near. 
Already  the  greatest  tilters  in  the  land 
were  pouring  into  Beaune  to  take  part 
in  the  tournament  which  was  to  last  three 
days.  Lilian  begged  Roswal  to  enter  the 
lists  and  fight  for  the  prize,  but  he  said 
that  he  was  only  a  poor  boy  who  could  do 
nothing  but  hunt  for  game. 

The  first  day  of  the  tournament  dawned 
clear  and  bright.  Roswal,  very  sad  at 
heart,  mounted  his  horse  and  went  to  the 
wood  to  hunt.    He  could  think  of  nothing 

[272] 


THE  PRINCE  OF  NAPLES 

but  his  great  love  for  the  Princess,  and 
prayed  that  he  might  be  able  to  prove  that 
he  was  the  real  Prince  of  Naples. 

At  a  turn  in  the  road  he  came  face  to 
face  with  a  Knight  splendidly  equipped. 
Roswal  thought  that  he  was  one  of  the 
warriors  on  his  way  to  the  tournament,  so 
he  drew  rein  to  let  the  Knight  pass. 
Never  before  had  he  seen  such  a  magnifi- 
cent being,  for  the  Knight  was  dressed 
in  a  suit  of  snow-white  armor  and  had 
flowing  white  plumes  in  his  helmet;  the 
horse  he  rode  was  also  of  the  purest  white. 

What  was  his  surprise  when  the  White 
Knight  said: 

"Prince,  don  this  armor,  mount  this 
charger,  and  go  to  the  tournament.  At 
thy  return  thou  wilt  find  me  waiting  here. 
I  will  hunt  deer  with  thy  hounds,  and 
present  unto  thee  all  the  game  I  obtain." 

Roswal  dressed  himself  in  the  white  ar- 

[273] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 


FRIKCE,  DON  THIS   ARMOE  AND  00   TO  THE  TOURNAMENT 


[274] 


THE  PRINCE  OF  NAPLES 

mor,  leapt  into  the  Knight's  saddle,  and 
dashed  away  to  the  lists.  When  he  en- 
tered, the  vast  throng  of  spectators  set 
up  a  shout  of  acclamation,  and  all  were 
wild  to  know  who  the  splendid  Knight 
was  and  where  he  lived. 

With  wonderful  skill  he  overthrew  all 
the  other  tilters  until  only  the  High  Ste- 
ward remained.  When  he  turned  upon 
his  great  foe,  the  High  Steward,  trem- 
bling with  fear,  surrendered  to  him.  The 
White  Knight,  with  a  graceful  wave  of 
his  right  arm,  disappeared.  The  crowd 
set  up  deafening  shouts  of  applause. 

"I  would  that  I  knew  who  the  White 
Knight  is,  that  I  might  make  him  an 
Earl,"  said  the  King  of  Beaune.  "Never 
before  have  I  seen  such  skill  and  grace, 
nor  such  beauty  of  form  and  elegance  in 
any  man." 

In  vain  they  tried  to  find  out  where 

[275] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

the  White  Knight  had  gone,  for  Roswal 
had  returned  to  the  forest  where  he  met 
the  Knight,  and  gave  him  back  his  armor 
and  steed.  He  thanked  him  for  his  kind- 
ness and,  taking  the  game  that  the 
Knight  had  shot  for  him,  he  hastened  back 
to  the  palace  kitchen. 

All  the  servants  were  talking  about  the 
glorious  White  Knight,  and  chided  him 
for  displaying  no  interest  in  the  tourna- 
ment. Before  long  the  Princess  Lilian 
sent  for  him  to  meet  her  in  the  rose  bower. 

"Where  have  you  been?"  she  asked 
coldly. 

"Out  hunting  game,"  he  replied. 

"You  would  rather  hunt  for  game  than 
glory,"  she  said.  "A  White  Knight  on  a 
white  steed  has  covered  himself  with  re- 
nown. No  one  but  you  could  have  over- 
come the  splendid  warrior.  Pray,  enter 
[276] 


THE  PRINCE  OF  NAPLES 

the  lists  to-morrow,  that  you  may  rise  in 
station." 

But  Roswal  simply  said  that  all  would 
come  out  well,  if  he  did  his  humble  duty 
in  hunting  game  for  the  King.  He  paid 
no  heed  to  her  earnest  entreaties. 

On  the  next  morning  Roswal  mounted 
his  horse  and  went  out  again  to  hunt.  At 
the  same  turn  in  the  road  he  met  another 
Knight  dressed  from  the  plumes  of  his 
helmet  to  the  soles  of  his  feet  in  gray, 
and  riding  a  gray  horse. 

"Prince,  don  this  armor,  mount  this 
charger,  and  go  to  the  tournament,"  said 
the  Gray  Knight.  "At  thy  return  thou 
wilt  find  me  waiting  here.  I  will  hunt 
deer  with  thy  hounds  and  present  unto 
thee  all  the  game  I  obtain." 

Roswal  joyfully  donned  the  gray  ar- 
mor, and,  mounting  the  gray  steed,  dashed 
[277] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 


TOU   WOULD  RATHER    HUNT   FOB   GAME   THAN   GLOBY 


[278] 


THE  PRINCE  OF  NAPLES 

away,  entering  the  lists  just  as  the  tourna- 
ment opened. 

The  High  Steward  was  much  relieved 
when  he  saw  that  the  White  Knight  was 
not  present,  and  rode  about  in  a  very- 
spirited  manner,  frequently  waving  his 
hand  at  the  Princess  Lilian,  who  was  sit- 
ting with  her  maids  not  far  from  the 
King.  But  when  the  Gray  Knight  over- 
threw all  his  foes  and  charged  upon  him, 
he  again  threw  down  his  spear  in  surren- 
der. 

The  Gray  Knight  rode  away  amid  the 
loudest  cheers  that  had  ever  rent  the  quiet 
air  of  Beaune;  but  no  one  could  find  out 
who  he  was. 

Roswal  returned  to  the  forest,  where  he 
found  the  Knight  waiting  for  him  with 
venison  and  other  game.  He  thanked 
him  for  his  kindness,  took  the  game,  and 
rode  back  to  the  palace  kitchen. 
[279] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

Again  the  Princess  Lilian  sent  for  him 
to  come  to  the  rose  bower. 

"The  White  Knight  did  not  fight  to- 
day," she  said,  "but  a  still  more  noble 
Gray  Knight  was  present  and  overthrew 
all  his  foes  without  any  difficulty.  I 
watched  him  closely.  If  I  mistake  not, 
Disaware,  you  are  very  much  like  both 
the  White  Knight  and  the  Gray  Knight. 
Do  not  deceive  me." 

But  Roswal  would  say  nothing,  and 
again  the  Princess  was  vexed  with  him. 

On  the  third  day  Roswal  again  re- 
turned to  the  wood  to  hunt.  At  the  turn 
of  the  road  he  met  a  Knight  riding  upon 
a  splendid  bay  steed.  He  wore  a  suit  of 
bright  green  armor  and  a  golden  helmet, 
and  carried  a  red  shield.  He  completely 
dazzled  the  eyes  of  Roswal,  for  never  had 
he  seen  a  Knight  so  glorious. 

[280] 


THE  PRINCE  OF  NAPLES 

"Prince,  don  this  armor,  mount  this 
charger,  and  go  to  the  tournament"  said 
the  Knight.  "At  thy  return  thou  wilt 
find  me  waiting  here.  I  will  hunt  deer 
with  thy  hounds  and  present  unto  thee  all 
the  game  I  obtain." 

Roswal  did  as  he  was  bidden  and  rode 
away  to  the  tournament.  When  he  en- 
tered the  lists,  all  the  spectators  were  too 
much  dazzled  to  utter  a  cry  of  delight. 
With  remarkable  skill  he  overthrew  all 
the  fighters  until  only  the  false  High  Ste- 
ward remained. 

Now  Lilian,  who  had  been  quite  dis- 
gusted with  the  High  Steward  because  of 
his  cowardice,  had  told  him  that  if  he  sur- 
rendered on  the  third  day  he  would  lose 
her  hand.  So  he  made  a  bold  dash  at  the 
Green  Knight,  but  received  a  blow  that 
sent   him   sprawling   upon   the   ground, 

[281] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 


WITH    REMARKABLE    8KII.L    JIK    OVERTHREW    THE    FIGHTERS 
[282] 


THE  PRINCE  OF  NAPLES 

where  he  rolled  half  way  across  the  field, 
yelling  and  blubbering,  the  people  shriek- 
ing with  laughter. 

The  Green  Knight  bowed  low  and  rode 
once  around  the  lists,  throwing  into  Lil- 
ian's lap  a  small  gold  ring.  Several  of  the 
King's  courtiers  tried  to  catch  him,  but 
nowhere  could  he  be  found. 

Roswal  rode  back  to  the  forest,  where 
he  found  the  Knight  waiting  for  him  with 
a  large  quantity  of  venison  and  other 
game.  He  thanked  him  for  his  kindness, 
mounted  his  horse,  and  rode  back  to  the 
palace  kitchen. 

The  King  of  Beaune  offered  large  re- 
wards to  any  of  his  people  who  would  cap- 
ture the  three  unknown  Knights  and  bring 
them  to  his  court ;  but  no  one  was  success- 
ful. Roswal  hunted  game  as  before,  de- 
termmed  that  he  would  not  break  his  sa- 

[283] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

cred  vow  even  though  it  were  given  to  one 
who  had  done  him  a  great  wrong. 

In  vain  the  Princess  Lihan  begged  the 
King  not  to  give  her  in  marriage  to  the 
High  Steward. 

"He  is  the  Prince  of  Naples,  the  son  of 
the  richest  ruler  in  the  world,"  said  the 
King  kindly.  "It  will  be  a  fine  match, 
and  I  do  not  wish  to  be  disappointed." 

So  the  wedding  took  place  amidst  great 
rejoicing  and  splendor.  No  one  in  the 
kingdom  was  unhappy  but  the  Princess 
Lilian  and  Roswal.  After  the  wedding 
the  bride  and  bridegroom  sat  on  a  dais 
in  the  hall,  side  by  side,  receiving  the 
guests  who  pressed  forward  to  wish  them 
godspeed.  The  High  Steward  was  beam- 
ing with  joy,  but  the  Princess  Lilian 
looked  pale  and  sorrowful. 

Suddenly  there  was  a  great  commotion, 
for  the   three   Knights,   one   dressed   in 

[284] 


THE  PRINCE  OF  NAPLES 

white,  another  in  gray,  and  the  third  in 
green  and  gold,  entered  the  hall  and  has- 
tened to  the  dais,  where  they  bowed  low 
to  the  Princess  Lilian;  but  they  paid  no 
heed  to  the  High  Steward. 

"Why  do  you  not  honor  my  son-in-law, 
the  Prince  of  Naples?"  asked  the  King, 
more  surprised  than  displeased. 

The  three  Knights  looked  all  about 
them  and  said: 

"Alas!  your  majesty,  we  do  not  see 
him." 

At  that  moment  Roswal  entered  the  hall 
dressed  in  back  velvet  and  carrying  a 
great  hat  covered  with  black  plumes.  He 
was  as  much  surprised  as  the  court  when 
the  three  Knights  rushed  towards  him 
and,  seizing  him,  carried  him  before  the 
King.  Then  they  knelt  before  Roswal. 

"We  bend  the  knee  to  no  other  sover- 
eign than  Roswal  the  Prince  of  Naples," 

[285] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

they  said.  *'He  is  the  bravest  fighter  and 
the  most  merciful  man  in  all  the  world. 
It  was  he  who  borrowed  our  armor  and 
overthrew  all  the  warriors  that  took  part 
in  the  tournament.  Yet  he  was  most  kind 
and  merciful  to  his  false  High  Steward, 
whom  you  have  compelled  your  daughter 
to  marry  1" 

The  King  and  all  his  court  stood  as  if 
turned  to  stone.  The  High  Steward  be- 
gan to  weep  like  a  child,  and  forthwith 
confessed  that  he  had  robbed  Roswal  of 
his  rights  and  had  compelled  him  to  take 
a  sacred  vow  never  to  tell. 

The  King  ordered  his  guards  to  seize 
the  false  Prince  and  carry  him  to  prison, 
to  be  hanged  at  sundown. 

Then  the  three  Knights  rose  and  took 
off  their  helmets.  What  was  Roswal's 
delight  to  see  the  faces  of  the  brave 
Knights  he  had  freed  from  the  dungeon 
in  his  father's  palace  in  Naples  1    He  em- 

[286] 


THE  PRINCE  OF  NAPLES 

braced  them,  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  and 
turned  to  the  Princess  LiHan,  whose  face 
beamed  with  happiness.  He  took  her  out- 
stretched hand  and  sat  down  upon  the 
chair  which  his  High  Steward  had  been 
occupying. 

The  King  gave  him  his  blessing,  and 
the  happy  lovers  were  married. 
Twenty  days  of  feasting  and  rejoicing 
followed. 

It  is  further  recorded  that  Roswal  re- 
membered all  who  had  been  kind  to  him, 
including  the  good  dame  of  the  forest  and 
her  son,  and  his  patient  old  schoolmaster. 
He  and  Lilian  later  became  King  and 
Queen  of  both  Naples  and  Beaune,  and 
their  children  were  very  noble  and  illus- 
trious. One  of  the  sons  became  King  of 
Naples,  another  son  received  the  throne 
of  Beaune,  and  the  third  became  Pope  of 
Rome;  while  one  daughter  was  married 

[287] 


FAIRY  TALES  FROM  FOLK  LORE 

to  the  Prince  of  Apulia  and  the  other  be- 
came Queen  of  France. 

Many  a  time  Queen  Lihan  said  to  her 
husband : 

"Thou  art  my  noble  King  to-day; 

My  Page,  my  Prince,  of  old; 
My  Knight  in  White,  my  Knight  in  Gray, 

My  Knight  in  Green  and  Gold!" 

OF  THE 

UNIVERS1T»Y 

OF 

THE  END 


[288] 


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